The Romanov Likani Palace is the main historical landmark of Borjomi. It was built in 1892 for Grand Duke Mikhail Romanov, the fourth son of Emperor Nicholas I and the brother of Emperor Alexander III. Now the palace houses the Museum of the Royal Family, and around the palace, on the banks of the Kura River, there is a beautiful park.
Grand Duke Mikhail Romanov owned the Borjomi resort for several decades. In 1862, he became the tsar`s viceroy in the Caucasus. After the cure of the daughter of his predecessor, Ekaterina Golovina, the fame of the Borjomi springs spread throughout Russia. Mikhail Romanov realized what potential Borjomi has if a balneological resort is created here.
He entrusted the development of the Borjomi resort to his personal doctor Adolf Remmert. With him, the resort began to be actively built up. In 1871, Emperor Alexander III came to visit Mikhail Romanov. After this visit, Mikhail Romanov received the Borjomi resort as a property on the rights of eternal entail ownership. That means, it could only be passed on to the eldest son, it is impossible to divide this possession.
By the end of the 19th century, Borjomi became one of the best balneological resorts of the Russian Empire with beautiful parks and modern infrastructure. Rich people built their villas here. One of the most famous villas in Borjomi was the House of Mirza-Rize Khan, which was named Firuza. In 1894, Mikhail Romanov insisted on laying a railway in Borjomi, which significantly increased the resort`s attendance by tourists from all over the country.
The Romanov Palace, preserved to this day in the Moorish style, was built in 1892 according to the project of Leon Benoit in Borjomi Gorge. At the same time, one of the first hydroelectric power plants in Russia was built to illuminate it. In 1909, Grand Duke Mikhail Romanov died, and the Borjomi entail was succeeded by his eldest son Nikolai Mikhailovich Romanov. He loved these places very much and lived here for a long time. All members of the royal family, including Emperor Nicholas II, often came to visit him.
In the Soviet years, the Romanov Palace was used as a resting place for the country`s leadership. Joseph Stalin often came here. The interior of Mikhail Romanov`s workroom, where Stalin worked, is preserved in the Museum. And although main Villa of Stalin was in Matsesta, he also visited the resorts of Georgia. In addition to Borjomi, he went to Tskaltubo for treatment.
Guides pay attention to two nails in Romanov`s Workroom. They were hammered in personally by Stalin when he worked here. One nail is driven into the table on which he hung his cap, and the second nail is driven into the wall on which he hung his jacket.
After the closure of the Party Sanatorium, the Romanov Palace fell into complete disrepair, but now a museum is open here. In addition to the palace interiors, numerous photos of the Borjomi resort, you can see really valuable things here. For example, a table presented to the Romanovs by Emperor Napoleon, a chair presented to Romanovs by Shah of Iran. There is also a table made from the roots of a walnut tree personally by Tsar Peter I. The billiard table where the Romanovs played has also been preserved here.
