The “Gagripsh” restaurant is located opposite Primorskiy park in old Gagra. The adjacent “Vremennaya” hotel forms a unified architectural ensemble with the restaurant, designed in the style of an Alpine chalet, the two buildings were connected by a glass gallery.
Both structures were purchased by Prince of Oldenburg at the 1902 World’s Fair in Paris from the Norwegian Pavilion and transported by sea in a disassembled state.
The restaurant’s name, according to some sources, comes from the Gagripsh gorge, adjacent to Primorsky Park, while others attribute it to a river of the same name.
In 1903, a gala dinner marking the opening of Gagra resort was held at the “Gagripsh” Restaurant, and in 1912, during his visit to Abkhazia, Nicholay II dined there at the invitation of Prince of Oldenburg.
The “Gagripsh” Restaurant also hosted renowned by world famous Russian writers: Anton Chekhov, Ivan Bunin, Maxim Gorky.