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Camping Beside Armenia’s Abandoned Orgov Radio-Optical Telescope
After days exploring Georgia, our journey ended in the Armenian mountains, camping beside the most extraordinary relic of Soviet astronomy: the Orgov Radio-Optical Telescope.
leocook21
Nov 63 min read


Exploring Tbilisi’s Abandoned Apollo Cinema, Soviet Bunker, and Derelict Bathhouse
The Apollo Cinema in Tbilisi is one of the city’s oldest surviving theatres, built in 1909 in a beautiful Art Nouveau style and later renamed “October” during the Soviet period. Now abandoned, its grand facade stands as a reminder of its past life as one of Georgia’s grandest cinemas. Built in 1909 and lit up by flood lights; the magnificent main hall of Tbilisi's Apollo Cinema Last year, we tried to get inside but couldn’t find a way in. This time, we reached out to a couple
leocook21
Nov 62 min read


Tskaltubo, Georgia - A Year On in the Forgotten Soviet Spa Town
Tskaltubo in Georgia, a once grand Soviet spa town, is now largely abandoned and quietly crumbling. I first visited here during my trip to Georgia last year, and returning was a dream.
leocook21
Nov 62 min read


The Ghost Town of Anaklia - Camping Near the Abkhazia Border
After getting a lift from Dagva to Poti, we took a Bolt to Anaklia, which felt eerily like a complete ghost town. It’s full of closed hotels and resorts that only open in the summer, though apparently China’s planning to invest in rebuilding the town.
leocook21
Nov 62 min read


Exploring Abandoned Buildings in Georgia: From Batumi to Shroma & Dagva
Travelling across Georgia with just a backpack each, we set out to photograph the country’s abandoned buildings - from pastel pink staircases to decaying Soviet-era theatres. This post covers our first stops in Shroma and Dagva, where forgotten architecture still tells vivid stories of the past. For the full gallery, including both my digital and film photographs from these locations, scroll to the end of the page to see the complete selection.
leocook21
Nov 64 min read


Tskaltubo - Abandoned Soviet Spa Town in Georgia - October 2024
This once was one of the largest spa towns in the Soviet Union, but when the USSR collapsed in 1991, its sanatoriums were abandoned.
leocook21
Apr 271 min read


Georgia's Metallurgical Industry - October 2024
Located 30km away from the capital, this large industrial complex began operations in the 1948 and was one of the most important factories during the Soviet period. It produced various products made from pig iron, aluminium or iron.
leocook21
Apr 271 min read


Kazbegi, Caucasus Mountains, Georgia - October 2024
Our day trip hiking around the Caucasus Mountains and Kazbegi's Gergeti Holy Trinity Church.
leocook21
Apr 271 min read
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