Ali and Nino Statue

The sculpture stands on a stone pedestal right at the waterfront edge. The two figures – male and female – are assembled from horizontal steel strips with gaps between them, making the silhouettes semi-transparent: the sea and mountains are visible through the bodies. A mechanism sets the figures in motion – they glide toward each other, pass through one another, and separate, never fully joining.

Around 7:00 PM, color lighting switches on. Spotlights cycle through blue, red, purple, and green, contrasting with the dark sea behind. The area around the sculpture is wide and open: you can watch the movement cycle from different angles without crowding. Benches, the Alphabet Tower (50 meters away), cafes, and ice cream stands are all nearby.

The story is based on Kurban Said's novel Ali and Nino (1937) – a love story between a Muslim Azerbaijani man and a Georgian princess set against World War I. The sculpture symbolizes eternal longing and the impossibility of complete union. The work was first shown at the 52nd Venice Biennale, exhibited in London, and then permanently installed in Batumi.

Height – 8 meters, made of stainless steel, semi-transparent structure of horizontal strips

Movement – full cycle of merging and separating takes 10 minutes, repeats continuously

Artists – Tamara Kvesitadze and Paata Sanaia, installed in 2010

Literary source – novel Ali and Nino (1937), considered the national novel of Azerbaijan

Exhibitions – first shown at the 52nd Venice Biennale, later exhibited in London

The sculpture was created by Tamara Kvesitadze and Paata Sanaia, inspired by Kurban Said's novel Ali and Nino, published in Vienna in 1937 under a pseudonym. The novel tells the story of Azerbaijani aristocrat Ali Shirvanshir and Georgian princess Nino Kipiani against the backdrop of wars and revolutions in the early 20th century. The work, titled Man and Woman, was first presented at the 52nd Venice Biennale of contemporary art.

In 2010, the sculpture was installed on Batumi Boulevard as part of the city's large-scale modernization program. The location was deliberate – Adjara has historically been a zone of contact between Christian and Muslim cultures. Since its installation, the statue has become one of Batumi's defining symbols and the city's most photographed landmark.

Within central Batumi (on foot):

– From Europe Square – 10 minutes along the boulevard toward the sea

– From Piazza Square – 12 minutes

– From the bus station – 20 minutes on foot or 5 minutes by taxi (3–5 GEL / ~$1–2)

From Tbilisi (370 km, 5–6 hours):

– Train from the central railway station – from 25 GEL (~$9), 5 hours, daily

– Shared minibus (marshrutka) from Didube – 35–40 GEL (~$13–15), 5–6 hours

– Car rental – convenient for coastal trips

From Batumi Airport (2 km):

– Bolt taxi – 5–8 GEL (~$2–3), 5 minutes

Time of day: Sunset (6:00–8:00 PM in summer) – best light for photos. Color lighting starts after 7:00 PM. Early morning (before 10:00 AM) – nearly empty, good for crowd-free shots.

Season: May–October – comfortable weather for a boulevard stroll. The sculpture operates in winter too, but the waterfront is windy and cool.

Duration: 15–20 minutes for the sculpture itself. Combine with a walk along the boulevard – 1.5–2 hours for the full route.

Avoid: Weekend evenings in July–August – large crowds gather around the sculpture.