Spiral letters
Four metres tall.
Andrew Milligan sumo — CC BY 2.0 · tomasz przechlewski from Sopot, Poland — CC BY 2.0 · 23artashes — CC BY-SA 4.0 · tjabeljan — CC BY 2.0 · 23artashes — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Viajar En MTB — CC BY-SA 2.0 · U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Ford Williams — Public domain · Андрей Бобровский — CC BY 3.0
A steel tower rising about 130 metres at the northern end of Batumi Boulevard, built to celebrate the uniqueness of the Georgian alphabet. Two spiral bands wind around it carrying the thirty-three letters of the Georgian script, each four metres tall, in a design inspired by the double helix of DNA. It was designed and built by a Spanish engineering firm; work began in October 2010, the exterior was finished in December 2011, and it cost around 65 million dollars. An open lift shaft runs up its centre to a huge silver sphere at the top. The sphere was designed to hold an observation deck and a revolving restaurant that turns full circle in an hour, looking over the city and the sea. The lift and restaurant run irregularly, however, and close for long periods, so check locally if you want to go up. Viewing the tower from outside is free, and it is at its best at night when its letters light up in colour. It stands beside the old lighthouse, the Ferris wheel and the Ali and Nino sculpture, so all four make one evening stroll.
Four metres tall.
Changing colours.
At the very top.
Northern end of the boulevard near the lighthouse, Batumi
Ali and Nino StatueA giant moving steel sculpture by the Georgian artist Tamara Kvesitadze, designe4 minutes walk
Batumi BoulevardThe long seafront boulevard on the Black Sea is the heart of life in Batumi, run5 minutes walk
Europe Square and the Medea StatueBatumi's main square, in the centre of the city, is ringed by elegant buildings 7 minutes walk
Batumi Mosque (Orta Jame)A historic mosque in Batumi's old town, popularly called «Orta Jame», the middle11 minutes walkThe top was designed for an observation deck and a revolving restaurant, but the lift runs irregularly and closes for long spells, so check locally first.