Simonsson Otto Jacob

Simonsson Otto Jacob (1832-1914), Architect of Swedish origin, who was born in Petersburg and worked in Georgia. Upon graduating from the Petersburg Academy of Art in 1858, on the invitation of the Viceroy of the Caucasus, he proceeded to work as a freelance architect at the Viceroy’s Chancellery in Tbilisi. For over 40 years he had been actively doing the designer work: he used to execute typical projects for postal and engineering agencies (among them – the Kvareli Citadel, the Kukia Cemetery in Tbilisi, etc.). At the close of the 19th c. he built the Abastumani church, where he incorporated old Georgian architectural forms. In 1859, he elaborated a draft design of a public garden on the Alexander Square; Simonsson’s outline gave birth the Alexander’s Garden (presentday Garden of the April 9). He also designed the pinion wall of the Qashveti St. George church. His name is linked to the partial (1858 – 59) and later – complete reconstruction of the Palace of the Viceroy (presentday Palace of Youth). He was the author of a number of residential houses on I. Tamamshev street (1872; presentday Galaktion Tabidze street), I. Zubalashvili street (1879; presentday L. Asatiani street) and others.

In 1909 O. Simonsson retired and moved to Riga, where he died 5 years later.