Ali and Nino in Batumi: the Real Story and How to See the Statue
Ali and Nino in Batumi: how to see the statue
In short
Ali and Nino in Batumi are two moving metal figures by the sea. Their story comes from Kurban Said's novel, not from the documented life of a real couple. For your walk, it is enough to save the spot on a map and allow time for one full cycle of movement.
The location and reviews are on the Ali and Nino statue page. A short answer about the place and the movement is in our FAQ section. Facts and sources were checked on 20 October 2026; we cannot promise the mechanism will be running on the day of your visit.
How to find Ali and Nino and plan your walk
Step 1. Save the right place
Open the statue page and check the name and the city: Batumi. You need the seafront sculpture in Miracle Park, next to the Ferris wheel. That way you will not mix it up with a bookshop, the film or other results with the same name.
If you are searching in a maps app, type "Ali and Nino Batumi". First check that the pin is on the seafront, then build a walking route from where you are. Time and distance depend on your starting point, so look them up in the route itself.
Check the name: Ali and Nino Statue, Batumi. Screenshot: Visit Batumi, 21.10.2026.
Step 2. Check the landmarks on the official tourist site
On the Visit Batumi page, scroll down to the "Find on Map" section. There you will find the "View on Map" button. Compare the pin with the seafront part of the boulevard, the Alphabetic Tower and the Ferris wheel. On the site the object is called "Ali and Nino Statue". If the embedded map does not load, go back to the pin you saved in your maps app.
Scroll down to Find on Map and open View on Map. Screenshot: 21.10.2026.
Step 3. Watch a full cycle
Stand where you can see both silhouettes. Do not leave straight away if the figures are far apart: the meeting is only one part of the cycle. Note where they are, wait about ten minutes and compare again.
Step 4. Pick your shot and carry on walking
Photograph the figures apart first, then as they come together and after they separate. That way your photos will show the idea of the movement. For a wide view, move along the boulevard; for silhouettes, try an angle with the sea behind them. Do not step onto the cycle path for a shot and keep clear of the moving parts.
A sample walk: Alphabetic Tower → Ferris wheel → Ali and Nino → a stroll along Batumi Boulevard. This is an order of stops, not a route with measured distances.
When to go: day or evening
| Your plan | What to choose | What to keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| See the details | Daylight | The plates and nearby landmarks are easy to see. Coming by day does not rule out the movement. |
| Photograph the lights | After dark | The evening view depends on the lighting and the weather. We do not promise an exact time for the lights. |
| Catch the meeting | Time for a full cycle | About 10 minutes per cycle if the mechanism is running; 15 to 20 minutes for the stop is our tip. |
| Drop by on the way | Together with the boulevard | If the mechanism is stopped, you still have the sea views, Miracle Park and the sights nearby. |
Ali and Nino: real story or fiction?
Ali and Nino are first of all the heroes of a novel. The book's historical setting does not prove that such a couple existed and lived exactly the life described. So the plot should not be called documentary history, and a random family photo should not be passed off as a portrait of the heroes.
On the Ad Marginem publisher's page (in Russian), the book is listed as fiction. The publisher confirms that the first edition came out in German in Vienna in 1937 and notes the dispute over authorship. It is best to read this story as a novel about love set against the events of the early 20th century.
What the novel "Ali and Nino" is about
At the heart of the book is the love between Ali Khan Shirvanshir, an Azerbaijani Muslim, and Nino Kipiani, a Georgian Christian. They live in Baku, where different languages, faiths and customs meet. Their relationship is tested by family expectations, different views, the First World War and the struggle for Azerbaijan's independence.
The plot moves through separation and their attempts to build a life together. The statue captures that image of meeting and parting.
Who wrote the book
The covers carry the name Kurban Said. It is a pen name, and it has sparked a dispute over authorship. Penguin links it to Lev Nussimbaum and mentions a contract signed by Baroness Elfriede Ehrenfels. Ad Marginem is more careful and speaks of several versions. When choosing a copy, check the title page for the author, translator, publisher and edition details; no single version of the authorship turns the plot into a documentary biography.
Edition details and background on the Ad Marginem page (in Russian). Screenshot: 21.10.2026.
Are there real photos of Ali and Nino?
There are photos of the Batumi statue, but they are not photos of the novel's heroes as historical people. If an old photo is captioned "the real Ali and Nino", check whether it names an archive, a photographer, a date and the people shown. Without that chain of sources, the caption does not prove who they are.
| What is in front of you | What can be said | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| The novel "Ali and Nino" | A work of fiction, first published in 1937 | The details and translator of your edition |
| The statue in Batumi | A real work by Tamara Kvesitadze by the sea | The pin on the map and whether the mechanism is running |
| An old photo captioned "Ali and Nino" | The caption proves nothing by itself | The archive source, the date and the people in the photo |
| A film still or a drawing | An image of fictional characters | The film title, the author of the image and the right to use it |
How the statue works and who made it
The work is by Georgian artist Tamara Kvesitadze. On her official website, it is presented as "Man & Woman (aka.) Ali & Nino".
The two silhouettes are made of horizontal metal segments. As they move, the figures come closer, merge and end up on opposite sides again. This change of position is what makes the piece kinetic. It was installed in Batumi in 2010; its name refers to the 1937 novel.
Why do the figures not have clearly shaped arms? What you see are stylised silhouettes, not anatomically detailed sculptures. We would rather not invent an answer in the artist's name: in the material we checked on her website, we did not find a separate explanation from her about the arms.
Do not take Batumi for the setting of the book. The novel's main city is Baku; the Batumi seafront became home to a statue that points to its heroes.
- Two separate silhouettes
- Moving closer
- The figures merge
- Parting and a new cycle
One full cycle takes about 10 minutes if the mechanism is running.
What to see nearby
On the same walk, it is easy to add Miracle Park, the Alphabetic Tower and the Ferris wheel. Through the Old Town you can carry on to Europe Square. For a longer plan, try our one-day route around Batumi.
If you want to compare views from different heights, check the visiting terms for the Ferris wheel and the Argo cable car separately. They are not part of the free visit to the statue. You can pick other places from the list of monuments and statues in Batumi.
Checklist before you go
☐ Save the page for the right statue, the one in Batumi.
☐ Check the walking route from where you are and the weather.
☐ Allow time for a full cycle, not just one shot.
☐ For an evening shot, check when it gets dark on the day of your walk.
☐ Charge your phone; do not step onto the cycle path for a photo.
☐ Pick a nearby stop in case the mechanism is not running.
Frequently asked questions
It is a novel set against real history. It does not serve as documentary proof of a particular couple's life.
The heroes of Kurban Said's book: Ali Khan Shirvanshir, an Azerbaijani Muslim, and Nino Kipiani, a Georgian Christian.
There are photos of the statue. Old portraits of real people should not be linked to the book's heroes without an archive source.
On Batumi Boulevard, in Miracle Park, near the port, next to the Ferris wheel and the Alphabetic Tower.
Do not think of the movement as an evening-only event. The official Adjara portal describes a cycle that repeats nonstop, but whether the mechanism is running on a given day can depend on maintenance. The lighting and access to the boulevard follow their own hours.
About ten minutes if the mechanism is running. If you arrive while the figures are moving apart, wait for the next meeting.
You do not need a separate ticket to see it from the open seafront.
Tamara Kvesitadze. The artist's title for the work is "Man & Woman", and her website also gives the name "Ali & Nino".
The piece is made of separate metal segments with gaps between them. The change of position creates the effect of two silhouettes merging and parting.
The statue refers to the novel's heroes. The figures coming together and drifting apart capture the image of meeting and parting.
This is disputed. Penguin links the pen name to Lev Nussimbaum; Ad Marginem points to several versions.
Yes. Director Asif Kapadia's film was part of the Sundance 2016 programme. A screen adaptation does not prove the story is documentary either.
ალი და ნინო. To find the statue online or on a map, add the city name: Batumi.
The statue is viewed from the open seafront. Choose a spot away from the flow of bikes and scooters and watch the movement from a safe distance.
Read also
- Griboedov and Georgia: his role in history and his marriage to Nino Chavchavadze
- Ziya Khaydarov and garage wines in Batumi: meeting the winemaker
- Batumi Boulevard: walks and sights
- Batumi in one day
- Argo: the cable car in Batumi
If you have already watched the figures meet, leave a review on the statue page: note the date, the time and a good spot for photos. Fresh observations will help other readers plan their walk.
Read also
Famous People Who Visited Batumi: Celebrities in the City
📜 For many years, the city of Batumi has been visited by famous people more than once. Yesenin not only wrote poetry here, but also fell in love.
Griboedov and Georgia: Role in History and Marriage to Nino Chavchavadze
📜 The famous Russian playwright Alexander Griboyedov loved Georgia very much. Find out how the mountainous country conquered him.
Marrying a Georgian Man: Mentality, Marriage and Family Life
📜 What awaits the bride after the wedding in Georgia? How are women treated in Georgian families?
🐆 Shota Rustaveli: The Poet of Georgia's Golden Age
📜 A poet about whom almost nothing is known: the court of Tamar, a dedication in the prologue, a fresco in Jerusalem and the legends.
🍇 Saint Nino: The Enlightener Who Brought Georgia to Christianity
⛪ The story of a young woman who changed Georgia: a vision of the Virgin, a bramble bush in Mtskheta, King Mirian and the grave at Bodbe.
✨ George V the Brilliant: The King Who Drove Out the Mongols
⚔️ How Georgia threw off the rule of the Horde: the life of George V Brtskinvale, the recovery of Imereti and a grave at Gelati.
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Автор рассказывает о знаменитом романе «Ali and Nino», который впервые был опубликован в 1937 году под псевдонимом Kurban Said — сюжет о трагической любви азербайджанского мусульманина Али и грузинской христианки Нино разворачивается на фоне событий Первой мировой войны, революции и изменений на Кавказе. 
В рейтинге также упоминается, что за этой литературной историей стоит реальная пара прототипов — Нино Кипиани из грузинской дворянской семьи и Алекcандр Саканделидзе (Аликхан), богатый азербайджанец — и именно их судьба вдохновила автора романа. В книге есть вымысел, но основа любви этих двух людей действительно глубоко тронула воображение читателей. 
Особенно интересно, что в Батуми на набережной стоит знаменитая движущаяся скульптура «Али и Нино» от грузинской художницы Tamara Kvesitadze, где металлические фигуры медленно сближаются и расходятся — это визуальный символ их невозможной, но вечной любви. 
Рейтинг помогает понять, что между фактом и художественным вымыслом здесь тонкая грань: роман вдохновлён реальными событиями, но интерпретирует их так, чтобы создать сильный художественный образ — и сегодня эта история стала частью культурного наследия региона. 
Спасибо автору за такой живой и романтичный обзор!
А вы читали **«Али и Нино» или видели фильм или скульптуру в Батуми — какое впечатление эта история оставила у вас: больше трогательное чувство любви или глубину культурного контекста? 🍷✨
Множество раз попадались фотографии этого архитектурного произведения в интернете, журналах, и только сейчас я узнала, что это не просто интересная задумка инженера, но и персонажи, заимствованные из произведений и даже из вполне реального прошлого!
Красиво, символично и прогрессивно в сфере инженерии.
Реальная история конечно же показывает , что любовь сильнее всего вокруг. Дай бог всем так любить !
Скульптура Тамары Квеситадзе действительно нечто потрясающее. Она олицетворяет любовь, как движение к друг другу, а после сближения присходит как бы угасание чувств и отдаление героев. И так бесконечно по кругу.
У меня возник только один вопрос - почему у скульптур отсутствуют руки?