Standing on the Black Sea coast, Sukhum is one of the most ancient cities in Europe. Even 2.5 thousand years ago, a Greek colony was located in its place. In his lifetime, he saw conquest, destruction and rebirth. And in our time, his fate cannot be called easy - the consequences of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict have left an unhealed, deep mark on him.
Still, Sukhum is primarily a resort town. Even if he remembers the times better, today tourists also have something to look at. Ruins of ancient fortresses, monumental buildings of the Soviet era, museums, city sculptures, beautiful views from the embankment - all this awaits guests who have decided to come to this place, caressed by the sun and soft breezes.
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What to see and where to go in Sukhum?
The most interesting and beautiful places for walking. Photos and a short description.
Sukhum embankment
The embankment was laid in the late 19th - early 20th centuries after the end of the Russian-Turkish war. It houses historic buildings from the early 1900s. There are also several scenic mid-century landmarks. The promenade consists of two promenades - the embankments of the Dioscuri (from the pier to the seaport) and the Mahajirs (from the port to the confluence of the Basly river into the sea).
"Brekhalovka"
This is the name of a place on the city embankment, where locals (mostly men) traditionally meet to discuss business, drink coffee, play dominoes and just gawk at passers-by. Such a pastime looks peculiar, but it characterizes the local mentality very well. For the sake of interest, tourists can also drop in here and listen to lively conversations.
Colonnade on the embankment
Neoclassical colonnade, built in 1948 according to the project of Ya. O. Kvaratskhelia and has been decorating the landscape for many decades. Through it you can go to the city embankment. The building is one of the most popular sights of the city, moreover, its emblem and symbol. It is interesting that colonnades in other resort towns of the Black Sea coast were built like the Sukhum one.
Sculpture "Nika and the gramophone"
A small sculptural composition adorning the Sukhumi embankment. It was created based on the work of F. Iskander and depicts a girl with a gramophone. The statue was installed in 2012, it was made by the sculptor A. Labakhua. The statue belongs to the type of “genre urban sculpture”. The works of this style are characterized by the absence of monumentality, simplicity of execution and closeness to the viewer.
Monument to the Mahajirs
The monument is dedicated to the heroes of the 1992-1993 Georgian-Abkhaz war. It was solemnly installed in Sukhum in 2010 on the City's Liberation Day in the presence of officials. The composition is a bronze sculpture weighing 2.7 tons on a round pedestal lined with polished red tiles. The statue was created by the sculptor G. Lakoba and made in Minsk.
Residence of the President of the Republic of Abkhazia
The residence of the head of Abkhazia is located in the building of the former dacha of I.V. Stalin, located in the middle of the Sukhumi arboretum. The house was built in a strict classical style with the typical Soviet architecture craving for monumentalism. The central facade consists of two rows of arched galleries, the symmetrical side wings are devoid of pretentious decor. This building is one of the few not damaged during the hostilities.
City administration building
The city government is housed in a historic building from 1914 - one of the oldest buildings in the capital of Abkhazia, better known among locals as the "house with a clock". It is located on one of the central streets of the city and is its decoration. From an architectural point of view, its style gravitates more towards Art Nouveau, although neoclassical features also slip in the appearance of the facade.
Parliament building of Abkhazia
The parliament building was erected in the 1960s. In those years, such a monumental structure testified to the well-being of the people and the wealth of the region. In 1993, during the Georgian-Abkhaz war, it was badly damaged as a result of shelling and bombing. At the moment, the building is in a dilapidated state, although the Abkhaz flag flies over it, and rallies take place on the square from time to time.
Abkhaz State Museum
Museum of local lore, where valuable collections of great historical importance are exhibited. Here you can see exhibitions dedicated to the peoples of the Caucasus, ancient Egyptian, Greek and Byzantine artifacts, as well as items related to the Middle Ages. Archaeological, natural science and ethnographic collections are of great interest.
Drama Theater named after S. Chanba
The main dramatic stage of Abkhazia, created in 1931. It is located in a building of the early 20th century that burned down in 1943 as a result of an aircraft strike and was completely reconstructed in 1952 according to the project of M. Chkhikvadze. After the restoration, the building acquired the features of the Stalinist Empire style. Opposite the entrance to the theater, there is a popular tourist fountain with griffins, built in 1947.
Russian drama theater named after F. A. Iskander
The stage was founded in 1981 as a Youth Theater. During the hostilities of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict, the building was destroyed and the theater ceased to exist. It was only revived in the 2000s. In 2014, a new stage was renovated (almost rebuilt), thereby completely restoring theatrical life. In 2017, the institution was named after the famous writer F. Iskander.
Blagoveshchensky cathedral
Sukhum Cathedral, which is considered the main temple of the non-canonical Abkhaz Orthodox Church. The building was built in 1915 with funds from the Greek Christian community. Obviously, the architect preferred the Byzantine style. In the 1980s, the building underwent a major reconstruction. The main shrine of the temple is an icon and a particle of the relics of the great martyr Panteleimon.
Koman monastery
Orthodox male monastery located near the village of Koman. It was founded in the 11th century on the site where the grave of St. John Chrysostom was located before being transferred to Constantinople. Today, a particle of his relics is kept in the monastery. The monastery is a popular tourist attraction and pilgrimage site, receiving tens of thousands of visitors every year.
Sukhum railway station
The modern station building was erected in the 1950s in the grandiose Stalinist Empire style. Before the start of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict, trains were sent from here to Moscow, Yerevan, Tbilisi, Rostov-on-Don, Batumi, Sochi, but with the outbreak of hostilities, the communication completely stopped. Since the beginning of the 2000s, trains have started running again, and today it is possible to reach the Russian capital from Sukhum again.
Railway platform "Guma"
The railway platform is located on the territory of Sukhum. It is known for the location of the monkey nursery and the Botanical Garden in the vicinity. The station building itself is a gallery with a suite of arched openings and a wide staircase, framed by decorative railings and similar to the main entrance to the palace. "Guma" was built in 1940, today it has lost its importance as a transport point, but retained its value as an architectural monument.
Dioscuria Fortress
Former military fort and garrison, now in ruins. Its history began in the era of the ancient Greeks, who were the first to build a port on this site. Then they were replaced by the Romans, Genoese and Ottoman Turks, who gave the fortress the name Sukhum-Kale (hence the name of the city).After the conquest of the Caucasus by the Russian Empire, military units and a prison were located here. In Soviet times, a restaurant was located in one of the towers, which was abandoned in the 1990s.
Bagrat castle
Remains of a fortress of the XII-XIII centuries, built during the heyday of the Abkhazian kingdom. At that time, she defended the southern approaches to the city and presided over the port. The castle walls were up to 2 meters thick and up to 8 meters high. In the XX century, archaeological excavations were carried out on the territory of the fortification, as a result of which medieval artifacts were discovered: jewelry, coins, dishes and other household utensils.
Besletsky bridge
A 13-meter high stone arch bridge over the Basla River. It was built over 800 years ago and has survived to this day in good condition. For many years, this passage was considered a strategic object, as it opened the way to the mountains. On the side surface of the structure, you can see an inscription in the ancient Georgian language and an image of a cross.
Apery
The nursery was founded in 1927 on the initiative of N. Semashko as an experimental laboratory for the study of human diseases. That is, the animals in it were used as experimental material. Today it can be visited like a zoo: see animals in cages and feed them. Those monkeys that are being experimented on are not shown to people, since they are kept in isolated rooms.
Botanical Garden
The Sukhum garden is one of the oldest in the Caucasus, it was founded in 1838. During the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78, almost all the plantings were destroyed, they were restored only in 1894. Today, species from America, Southeast Asia, Australia, and the Mediterranean countries grow on its territory. The oldest tree is the 300-year-old Caucasian linden, which grew here even before the foundation of the garden.
