Exploring Abandoned Buildings in Georgia: From Batumi to Shroma & Dagva
Updated: Aug 28
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 a small amount of film photographs from these locations, scroll to the end of the page to see the complete selection.
A photography-heavy trip through Georgia’s forgotten corners. These are the first photos from my journey across Georgia .
We started out in Batumi, often called the Las Vegas of the Black Sea. From there, we set off in search of some of the country’s abandoned buildings, beginning with an old administrative building in the village of Shroma.
Shroma Administrative Building in Georgia Dagva Culture House in Georgia
The Pink Staircase in Shroma's Administrative Building
Getting a Bolt taxi to these places from the city isn’t the easiest. The drivers don’t always know what they’re signing up for. Ours nearly refused to go any further, but after realising we’d still be a three hour walk away, Ilia, who thankfully speaks Russian, managed to persuade him to keep going, until we made it to our destination.
Inside, we found one of the best staircases I’ve ever seen. The walls were painted a faded pink, peeling in big curls from years of neglect. Broken stained glass let soft light spill across sculpted reliefs of frozen figures. It looked as though it had once been a proud, decorative public space - Now quietly disintegrating.
One corner of the ground floor still appeared to be used as a doctor’s surgery, but the rest of the building lay abandoned and silent.
A “Lamborghini” in the Mountains
After exploring, we needed to make our way back to Batumi. But, as usual, we didn’t have much of a plan. The Bolt app had stopped working, so we started walking back down the mountain, hoping for a signal.
We came across a man by the roadside with a car that looked like it had broken down. After Ilia spoke with him in Russian, it turned out he’d just removed the exhaust and was waiting for the mechanic. He offered us a lift to Kobuleti, proudly repeating “Lamborghini!” as he showed off the car.
Ilia laughed: “He says we don’t use seat belts in the mountains.”
Leaving out a few more worrying details, we did make it safely back to the Marshrutka (mini-bus) station.
The Palace of Culture in Dagva
Going back a day earlier, the destination was an abandoned Culture House in the village of Dagva, which is essentially a very grand village hall. These Soviet-era buildings were once prominent spaces in the local communities, but these days they seem to be in a state of disrepair. There are still quite a few scattered across Georgia’s villages. This one was a community space for local agricultural workers and used as an entertainment venue
This one, though crumbling, still had an incredible sense of scale. Rows of concrete seating led down to a stage framed by plaster mouldings. The walls were faded orange with paint flaking away, and sunlight poured in through tall arched windows, lighting up dust hanging in the air. The painted ceiling, once bright blue and gold, is now cracked and peeling, yet still breathtaking.
In another room, we found what looked like an old Soviet office with portrait paintings still hanging against the walls and stone faces watching over an ageing, decaying piano. The Lenin statue that once sat here has long been smashed to pieces.
Getting there was another small adventure. We again travelled from Batumi without much of a plan, but heading north towards Anaklia (which will be in the next post). Our Bolt driver seemed slightly concerned and even gave us his number so we could message him on WhatsApp if we needed rescuing - which, of course, we did.
Back in Batumi
To round off this part of the trip, I’ve added a few photos to the gallery at the end of the page from Batumi itself; the beach and the Botanical Gardens.
Practical Info
Transport: Bolt (Taxi Mobile App) and Marshrutkas (mini-buses)
Language: Georgian or Russian helps when speaking to locals
Exploration Tip: Check access and safety before entering any abandoned sites
Me with the cafe's resident at the end of the Botanical Garden in Batumi Me with the cafe's resident at the end of the Botanical Garden in Batumi Me with the cafe's resident at the end of the Botanical Garden in Batumi
If you’ve enjoyed my photography from these locations, you can support my work by purchasing a print.
Framed prints, posters, canvas prints, postcards, and even coffee mugs are available. Every purchase helps me keep exploring and sharing more of these forgotten places.
More Coming Soon
Follow along for the next post in the series!
Photo Gallery
For the full gallery, including both my digital and a small amount of 35mm film photographs from these locations, scroll through the images below.
Batumi
Batumi Botanical Garden Batumi Beach, the Black Sea Abandoned House in Batumi's Botanical Garden Abandoned House in Batumi Botanical Garden Railway just outside Batumi Botanical Garden Batumi Beach, The Black Sea Abandoned House in Batumi Botanical Garden Georgian Railway Batumi Beach, The Black Sea Abandoned House in Batumi Botanical Garden Batumi Beach near the Botanical Garden, The Black Sea Batumi Botanical Garden Former Railway Station Batumi Beach, The Black Sea Abandoned House in Batumi Botanical Garden Abandoned House in Batumi Botanical Garden Black & White Film: Rooftop view of Batumi Black & White Film: Rooftop view of Batumi Black & White Film: Bamboo tree hugging in Batumi Botanical Garden
Shroma Administrative Building
Memorial outside the former Administrative Building in Shroma, Georgia. Black & White film: Shroma's Administrative Building's staircase The former Administrative Building in the village of Shroma, Western Georgia. Former Administrative Building in Shroma, Georgia The entrance hallway to the abandoned administrative building in Shroma. An old, narrow room with peeling red walls and aged ceilings. Shroma in Georgia. Ornate Abandoned Staircase in Shroma, Georgia. The entrance hallway to the abandoned administrative building in Shroma. The entrance hallway to the abandoned administrative building in Shroma. The entrance hallway to the abandoned administrative building in Shroma. Ornate Abandoned Staircase in Shroma, Georgia. Ornate Abandoned Staircase in Shroma, Georgia. Ornate Abandoned Staircase in Shroma, Georgia. Hallway in Abandoned Shroma, Georgia. Hallway in Abandoned Shroma, Georgia. Ornate Abandoned Staircase in Shroma, Georgia. Ornate Abandoned Staircase in Shroma, Georgia. Up close derelict details surrounding the staircase in Shroma, Georgia. Ornate Abandoned Staircase in Shroma, Georgia. Ornate Abandoned Staircase in Shroma, Georgia. Soviet Mural outside former Administrative Building in Shroma, Georgia. Abandoned Administrative Building in Shroma, Georgia Abandoned Administrative Building in Shroma, Georgia Rusty tank displayed outside a former Soviet-era historical building in Shroma, Georgia.
Dagva Culture House
A stray dog rests on a colourful checkered pavement in front of the abandoned Culture House in Dagva Moody view of the abandoned Culture House in Dagva, Georgia Abandoned Culture House in Dagva, Georgia Climbing the abandoned building in Dagva, Georgia Abandoned Culture House in Dagva, Georgia Abandoned Culture House in Dagva, Georgia A stray dog rests on a sunlit pavement in front of a wall with Cyrillic text. Derelict windows in the main hall of Dagva's Culture House in Georgia Theatre hall in the abandoned Culture House in Dagva, Georgia An old, narrow staircase in the abandoned Culture House of Dagva Russian wording in an old Soviet-era theatre hall in Georgia An old, narrow staircase in the abandoned Culture House of Dagva An old, narrow staircase in the abandoned Culture House of Dagva Lonely visitor in the abandoned Georgian Culture House Double camera action in the abandoned Georgian Culture House Details in the abandoned Culture House A dusty auditorium in Dagva's Culture House in Georgia Abandoned Soviet Office in Dagva, Georgia Abandoned Soviet Office in Dagva, Georgia Abandoned Soviet Office in Dagva, Georgia Abandoned Soviet Office in Dagva, Georgia Abandoned Soviet Office in Dagva, Georgia Abandoned Soviet Office in Dagva, Georgia Abandoned Soviet Office in Dagva, Georgia Piano in an abandoned Soviet Office in Dagva, Georgia A dilapidated staircase in an abandoned House of Culture in Georgia Abandoned room with mossy walls. Dagva, Georgia. Abandoned room with mossy walls. Dagva, Georgia. Scene from the stage of an abandoned theatre in Dagva, Georgia. Decaying auditorium with concrete steps in the abandoned Culture House in Dagva, Georgia Framed by leaves, the old theatre in the abandoned Palace of Culture in Dagva, Georgia. Nature reclaiming Dagva's Culture House in Georgia. Nature reclaiming Dagva's Culture House in Georgia but in Black & White Vibrant green plant growing towards the window Dilapidated staircase puddle reflection in Dagva's abandoned Culture House in Georgia Flowing river on the walk up to Dagva's House of Culture in Georgia. The fountain at the abandoned Palace of Culture in Georgia Dilapidated stairs in the abandoned Culture House in Dagva, Georgia. The Abandoned House of Culture in Dagva, Georgia.
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