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Ali and Nino statue, Batumi

Two tall steel figures of a man and a woman on Batumi’s seafront, with the Black Sea and a cloudy sky behind
Photo: Robot8A, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
Free — open seafront, any time of day
Hours
Open 24/7, free; the figures move every evening from 19:00, one cycle ≈ 10 minutes
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
30 min
With kids
Fine with kids
When it moves
Every evening from 19:00
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
One cycle
≈ 10 minutes: approach, merge, part
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Stoppages
Start times sometimes shift and the mechanism stops for maintenance (unofficial)
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Height
8 m per figure
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Location
Batumi Boulevard, Miracle Park, by the Alphabetic Tower
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Walk from Europe Square
≈ 15 minutes, about 1 km
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
From the airport
Taxi 15–20 minutes, or city bus 10
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Coordinates
41.65558, 41.64307YesGo MapGoogleApple

Key facts

8 mheight of each of the two figures
3 sourcesGeorgian National Tourism AdministrationWikidata Q20587589Ajara tourism portal (Calvert Journal gives 7 m)
≈ 10 minutesfor a full cycle — the figures approach, merge and part
2 sourcesGeorgian National Tourism AdministrationEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
From 19:00the figures start moving every evening
2 sourcesGeorgian National Tourism AdministrationEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
Tamara Kvesitadzethe Georgian artist who made it
2 sourcesGeorgian National Tourism AdministrationEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
2007first shown at the Venice Biennale as “Man and Woman”
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaEmerging Europe
2010–2011installed on the Batumi seafront — sources give different years
2 sourcesEnglish Wikipedia and georgia.to: 2010Russian Wikipedia and Calvert Journal: 2011
≈ 50 mhow far it was moved inland in 2015; one figure was damaged in the move and repaired
2 sourcesEnglish WikipediaCalvert Journal, 16.09.2015
Steelthe figures are stacked plates with gaps, so they look see-through by day
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaCalvert Journal
1937Kurban Said’s novel Ali and Nino, which gave the statue its nickname, was published
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
Neoncoloured lights come on around the statue in the evening
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia

What time does the Ali and Nino statue move?

The figures move every evening from 19:00, according to the Georgian National Tourism Administration, and the lights come on at the same time. One full cycle takes about 10 minutes: the man and the woman circle slowly towards each other, merge into a single shape for a moment, then pull apart — and it starts again.

Because the cycle repeats, you don’t need to be there on the dot. Arrive any time after seven and wait for the next approach; the best moment is when the steel plates of one figure slide through the gaps in the other.

In summer it is still bright at 19:00 and the colours barely show. For movement and lights together, come after sunset — around 21:00 in July; in autumn it is already dark by seven.

Where is the Ali and Nino statue?

It stands at the northern end of Batumi Boulevard, in Miracle Park right by the water, next to the Alphabetic Tower and the Ferris wheel, close to the sea passenger terminal and the port. It is part of the open seafront: no fence, no gate, no ticket desk.

You can’t miss the landmark — the tall Alphabetic Tower, wrapped in the letters of the Georgian alphabet. The sculpture is a few steps from its base, towards the sea. There is no street number; search maps for “Ali and Nino”.

Is it free, and is it worth it?

Yes, it is free and there is nothing to book or pay for. Worth it? In the evening, yes: watching two 8-metre steel figures pass through each other under coloured lights is genuinely memorable, and it costs you half an hour on a walk you’d probably take anyway.

Don’t cross town for it in the middle of the day. Static, in daylight, the figures hold your attention for five minutes. Treat the statue as the finale of an evening along the seafront boulevard, not as a stand-alone outing.

The story behind Ali and Nino

Georgian artist Tamara Kvesitadze spent around two years on the piece and showed it at the 2007 Venice Biennale under the title “Man and Woman”; it was later exhibited in London. It reached Batumi’s seafront in 2010 — some sources say 2011 — and that is still its official name.

Batumi renamed it after *Ali and Nino*, the 1937 novel published under the pseudonym Kurban Said, whose real identity is still debated. Set in Baku in 1918–1920, it follows Ali Khan Shirvanshir, a Muslim Azerbaijani, and Nino Kipiani, a Christian Georgian princess, through war and revolution to an unhappy end. The artist never meant the work as an illustration of the book; she has said it is about how “being together is possible for only a little time.”

The statue first stood closer to the water. After a 2015 storm damaged its base it was moved about 50 metres inland, towards the Ferris wheel; one figure fell during the move and was repaired, and the sculpture was back on display that autumn.

What to see and how to film it

  • One full cycle — stand to the side rather than on the sea side, so you see the figures close in and slide through each other.
  • The lights after dark — the neon shifts colour and changes the whole look of the steel.
  • Video — film the full 10 minutes from one spot or use time-lapse; the movement is too slow for a short clip.
  • By day — the gaps between the plates make the figures look transparent against the sky.
  • The Alphabetic Tower and Ferris wheel, which fit in the same frame.
  • Sunset over the sea — the seafront faces west, and the sun drops straight into the water.

How to get to the Ali and Nino statue

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on footdestinationStreet view

Where are you starting from?

We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.

On foot

  • Piazza Square is about 11 min away on foot.
  • Batumi Boulevard is about 14 min away on foot.
  • Europe Square is about 12 min away on foot.

More tips

  1. From Europe Square, walk north towards the sea — about 5 minutes to the seafront.
  2. Turn right along the water and head for the Alphabetic Tower and the Ferris wheel, both visible from far off.
  3. The statue is by the water next to the tower — about 15 minutes in all.
  4. From Batumi Airport, a taxi takes 15–20 minutes; city bus 10 also runs to the centre. Pay on the bus with a contactless bank card (foreign cards work) or a Batumi Card transport card — cash may not be accepted.
  5. For a taxi, use a ride-hailing app — you see the fare before you ride, no haggling.

Before you go: checklist

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Ali and Nino vs the Dancing Fountains vs the Argo cable car

Ali and Ninoyou are hereMoving sculpture by the seaFreeAfter 19:00, after dark20–30 minThe movement and the lights
Dancing FountainsEvening water, light and music showFreeEvening, in season30–40 minShow with music
Argo cable carRide up the hill above the cityPaidDaytime or sunset1–1.5 hView over Batumi and the sea

The statue is a short stop on an evening walk. Pair it with the boulevard and the fountains on the same night, and save Argo for daylight or sunset.

Batumi after dark: what to see

Batumi places best seen in the evening, with their YesGo score. Tap a column heading to sort.

Ali and Nino statueyou are here4930 minFree—
Europe Square4530 minFree13 min walk
Piazza Square4430 minFree12 min walk
Batumi Dancing Fountains4245 minFree2.9 km
Batumi Boulevard421 h 30 minFree13 min walk
Argo Cable Car381 h39 GEL return16 min walk

An evening in Old Batumi

Piazza and Europe Square in daylight, Argo up the hill for sunset, then the statue once the figures are moving under the lights. YesGo fits in the timing and walks.

  1. Piazza Square30 min · Free, open 24/7
  2. 8 min walk from the previous stopEurope Square30 min · Free
  3. 15 min walk from the previous stopArgo Cable Car1 h · 39 GEL return
  4. 16 min walk from the previous stopAli and Nino statueyou are here30 min · Free

4 places · about 3 h 9 min with walks · 39 min on foot in total

Go · my route

Nearby — add to your day

Piazza Square

Batumi, Georgia

30 min · Free, open 24/7 · 12 min walk

Batumi Boulevard

Batumi, Georgia

1 h 30 min · Free · 13 min walk

Europe Square

Batumi, Georgia

30 min · Free · 13 min walk

Argo Cable Car

Batumi, Georgia

1 h · 39 GEL return · 16 min walk

How to do it right

  • Arrive around 19:00 and stay until dark to see both the movement and the lights.
  • Watch at least one full cycle, from parting to parting — about 10 minutes.
  • Make it the last stop of an evening walk along the boulevard, with the Dancing Fountains nearby.
  • If it’s after seven and nothing moves, wait a little — the start is sometimes delayed.
  • In daytime, only stop by if you’re passing — the still figures are a five-minute look.

Questions

What time does the Ali and Nino statue start moving?

Every evening from 19:00. A cycle takes about 10 minutes and repeats; times occasionally shift and there are maintenance stops.

How long does the Ali and Nino movement last?

One cycle — approach, merge and part — takes about 10 minutes, then it starts again.

Where is the Ali and Nino statue located?

At the northern end of Batumi Boulevard, in Miracle Park by the sea, next to the Alphabetic Tower and the Ferris wheel.

Is the Ali and Nino statue free?

Yes. It stands on the open seafront and you can visit at any hour.

Is the Ali and Nino statue worth seeing?

In the evening, yes — the movement and lights are the point. In daylight the figures stand still, so only stop by if you’re passing.

How tall is the Ali and Nino statue?

About 8 metres per figure, according to Georgia’s and Ajara’s tourism bodies; some articles say 7 metres.

What is the story of Ali and Nino?

The nickname comes from Kurban Said’s 1937 novel about a Muslim Azerbaijani, Ali, and a Georgian princess, Nino, whose love ends in separation. The artist’s own title is “Man and Woman”.

How do I get to the Ali and Nino statue from Europe Square?

Walk north to the sea, turn right and follow the seafront to the Alphabetic Tower — about 15 minutes.

Who made the Ali and Nino statue?

Georgian artist Tamara Kvesitadze. It was first shown at the Venice Biennale in 2007 and installed in Batumi in 2010–2011.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • Georgian National Tourism Administration: The legend of Ali and Nino — artist, height, movement time and cycle, 30.10.2026
  • Department of Tourism and Resorts of Ajara (visitbatumi.com): Ali and Nino Statue — location and height
  • English Wikipedia: Ali and Nino (sculpture); Russian Wikipedia: Статуя Али и Нино в Батуми; Wikidata Q20587589
  • Calvert Journal, 16.09.2015 — damage and repair after the move
  • Emerging Europe — the “Man and Woman” title and the artist’s words
  • georgia.to — installation year
  • Madloba — shifting movement times and maintenance stops (unofficial)
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 30.10.2026 ·
How we checkedThe start time, cycle length and height come from the Georgian National Tourism Administration, and the location from Ajara’s tourism portal. Everything else is checked against at least two sources. Sources disagree on the installation year (2010 or 2011) and the height (8 or 7 metres), so we show both. Reports of shifting times and maintenance stops are unofficial and marked “verifying”. Walking times are YesGo’s own estimate from the map. Bus payment by contactless card is from travel guides and marked “verifying”.

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