Exploring Abandoned Buildings in Georgia: From Batumi to Shroma & Dagva

leocook21
Nov 6
4 min read

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.

Two men sit on broken theater seats in an abandoned, dusty room with ornate walls and colorful murals. The atmosphere is dilapidated. Inside the former Soviet-era Palace of Culture in Dagva, Georgia. — *Culture House Seating in Dagva*

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.

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.

Abandoned staircase with peeling pink walls, stained glass windows, and carved reliefs. Two portraits hang above, evoking a nostalgic mood. Former Soviet-era Administrative Building in Shroma, Georgia. — *Peeling pink staircase in Shroma*

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.

Ornate room with cracked blue ceiling, peeling pink walls, and marble columns. Empty chairs line the wall. Mood is deserted and decayed. Abandoned former Soviet-era Administrative Building in Shroma, Georgia. — *The grand foyer in Shroma*

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

Abandoned theater with decaying seats, ornate ceiling artwork, and an empty stage. Light filters through broken windows, casting shadows. Former Soviet-era Palace of Culture in Dagva, Georgia. — *Decaying theatre in Dagva*

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.

Abandoned Soviet office room with dusty desk, scattered papers, and portrait paintings. An old piano and open window create a neglected, eerie atmosphere. Former Soviet-era Palace of Culture in Dagva, Georgia. — *Soviet-era Office in Dagva*

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

Unique McDonald's in Batumi, Georgia, with geometric glass design at sunset, reflecting in water. Orange sky, buildings in background. Relaxed, evening mood. — *Batumi McDonald's*

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

Shop the Collection

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.