Probably in every resort town There is a “special” attraction that tourists remember and touches to the core. In Batumi, this is the sculpture “Ali and Nino” or “Man and Woman” (that’s what Georgians call it) - an ode to great love.
The installation is located on the coast, right next to the Ferris wheel, lighthouse and Alphabet Tower, at the very beginning of Batumi Boulevard.
Its author is Tamar Kvesitadze, a famous sculptor, artist and architect, who this moment works in the USA. The monument was erected in 2011, some sources indicate that the statue is 7 meters high, somewhere the number 8 and even 9 appears, but in appearance it is not even 5 meters, in the photo on the Internet it looks larger.
Surely not everyone knows who Ali and Nino are, and why they were immortalized in sculptural composition. The fate of these two lovers is written in novel of the same name, author of which is Kurban Said. To retell it briefly - a descendant of a noble Azerbaijani family, Ali Khan Shirvanshir, fell in love with the daughter of a Georgian prince, Nino Kipiani, who studied at the Baku girls' gymnasium, some of the novel's actions take place in the old city of Baku (Icheri Sheher), Dagestan, Karabakh, some in Iran against the backdrop of World War 1.
There was a big obstacle on the way of the lovers - their faith - Nino was a Christian, and Ali was a Muslim. Ali's father was not against their marriage, but the girl's father resisted her marrying a Muslim. Despite the clash of religions and cultures, they continue to love each other fiercely.
Despite the fact that the lovers eventually got married, their life path There were many obstacles that separated them, the novel is full of dramatic moments that pierce the soul. And the result of the book is very sad: Ali died in the war, leaving his beloved with a little daughter in his arms.
This was reflected in the iron installation, where the statues of a man and a woman first approach each other, pass through and separate again. It is especially interesting to watch this fabulous action in the evening, when the spectacular lighting is turned on.
Thus, the monument symbolizes not only eternal love, but also understanding between peoples and religions; we can say that the monument to some extent personifies Batumi, because here, like in any port city, hundreds of different nationalities live.
Several years ago, while still living in Kyiv, I read two wonderful books by Kurban Said “Ali and Nino” and “The Girl from the Golden Horn”. Both novels struck me to the very heart: two beautiful and completely different stories love, against the backdrop of tragic events, complicated relationships between the West and the East. The text is spicy, exciting, as if soaked exquisite aromas East, which does not allow you to tear yourself away from the first to the last page.This summer, when I found myself in the port of Batumi, I saw the monument “Ali and Nino” - two metal structures moving towards each other. These “lovers” looked especially beautiful at the moment of their “kiss” at night, against the backdrop of the endless sea surface, illuminated by multi-colored lights...
I wanted to share with you what I learned about the monument and its author.
Having already started working on this post, I discovered about a dozen posts by different LiveJournal users on the same topic, but that didn’t stop me. A very pleasant topic!
On November 16, 2010, the moving sculpture “Love” was opened in Batumi. The seven-meter sculptures cost the city 5 thousand dollars, and are notable not only for their history and size. Ali and Nino slowly move towards each other, changing position every 10 minutes, until they meet and merge into one. After this, the reverse process begins, and then everything starts again. The author of the work is the famous Georgian sculptor Tamar Kvesitadze, who works and lives in the USA.
Author of the monument
At the very beginning, the sculpture was called "Man and Woman". But after the decision was made to install it in Batumi, the figures received the names of the heroes of Kurban Said’s book “Ali and Nino,” which tells about the love of an Azerbaijani and a Georgian princess - Ali and Nino.
The model of the monument was previously presented several times at various exhibitions in Europe and the USA and received high marks.
According to sculptor Tamar Kvesitadze, she is happy that her work has received such recognition. “I am very happy and want to thank everyone who participated in these works. I think that the new sculpture is very suitable for the city of Batumi,” said Kvesitadze. The mayor of Batumi, Robert Chkhaidze, noted in turn that “a sculpture symbolizing love has been installed in Batumi and it will always be one of the city’s attractions.”
A few words about “Ali and Nino”.
This novel was shrouded in secrecy, like probably no other novel of the 20th century. "Ali and Nino" was first published in German in 1937 in Vienna. The manuscript of the novel disappeared without a trace, and scientists different countries They are still scratching their heads over the question of who is hiding under the mysterious pseudonym “Kurban Said.” However, no matter who the author of the novel is, one thing is clear: before us is a brilliant and inspiredly told romantic story, the action of which unfolds in the Caucasus and Iran against the backdrop of the dramatic events of the first quarter of the last century. Released in pre-war Germany, the novel “Ali and Nino” has already become a world bestseller today and received enthusiastic responses from readers
This is a purebred romantic novel - not from the word "romance", but from the word "romanticism". If it had been written a century earlier, the reading public would simply go crazy. Exotic adventures in intricate oriental settings with true love to the grave, blood feud, heroic deeds in the name of the motherland and the woman he loves - candy, not a novel. Why it became popular half a century after it was written (and it was written in the 20s, and the identity of the author is dark and incomprehensible) is quite understandable: the modern reader sometimes wants to take a break from complex texts with hints and tricks, open a book whose plot would be crystal clear pure as spring water, and heroes as simple as road dust. What is important is that these heroes really have values, they have honor and faith, their feelings are sincere, and they always say exactly what they mean. And you gradually gain respect for this simplicity and naivety - “heroes, not us...”
In Azerbaijan, it is believed that the famous Azerbaijani writer Yusif Vezir Chemenzeminli was the author of “Ali and Nino”. However, it should be noted that in literary works Yusif Vezira considered the idea of ethnic and cultural mixing unacceptable and even a betrayal of the homeland. This contradicts the fundamental line of the novel "Ali and Nino". According to another version, "Ali and Nino" was written by Baroness Elfried Ehrenfels von Bodmershof, wife of Baron Omar-Rolf von Ehrenfels. In the German book catalog Deutser Gesamkatalog of the times of the Third Reich, under the name Kurban Said, it is written “pseudonym Ehrenfels, f. Bodmershoff, Elfried, Baronesses.” According to the third version, the author of the novel was the writer Lev Naussimbaum, also known as Essad Bey, the son of the Baku oil magnate, Avram Naussimbaum.
So who is this Kurban Said?
It is known that, among other pseudonyms, the name “Kurban Said” was used by the German writer, journalist and hoaxer of Azerbaijani origin Lev Nusenbaum.
Lev Abramovich Nusenbaum was born in 1905 in Kyiv in the family of a merchant of the second guild and soon an oil magnate from Tiflis, Abram Lvovich Nusenbaum, of the Jewish religion. At the age of one he was transported to Baku. From 1914 to 1920, Lev Nusenbaum studied at the Russian-language Baku Men's Gymnasium. German language studied from childhood under the guidance of a Baltic German governess (Frau Alice Melanie Schulte). In 1920, without finishing high school, he moved to Georgia, then to Turkey and France, and from there in 1921 to Berlin.
In Berlin he graduated from the Seminary of Oriental Languages at the Friedrich-Wilhelms-University, specializing in Turkish and Arabic. In 1926, he converted to Islam at the Turkish embassy in Berlin, and later took the name of Muhammad Assad Bey. If we compare Nusenbaum’s biography with the biographies of his characters, it turns out that he described his life.
Excerpt from the novel “Ali and Nino”:
“... Lyceum students in blue uniform dresses, the color of dreams, and white aprons, walked sedately through the garden. Among them was mine cousin Aishe. She walked arm in arm with the most beautiful girl in the world, Nino Kipiani. Seeing me, Aishe waved her hand. I approached them and began to talk about the battle that took place in the geography lesson.
“Ali Khan, you are a fool,” said the most beautiful girl in the world, wrinkling her nose. - Thank God we are in Europe. If we were in Asia, I should have put on a veil long ago, and you would never have seen my face.
I was completely defeated. Controversial geographical position Baku truly gave me the favor of the most beautiful eyes in the world.
Upset, I decided not to go to the rest of my lessons and went to wander the streets, looking at camels, and then stood for a long time by the sea, sadly thinking about Europe, Asia and beautiful eyes Nino Kipiani.
Suddenly a creepy-looking beggar appeared in front of me. I tossed him a coin. He immediately grabbed my hand, intending to kiss it. I pulled my hand back in fear. And then, full of remorse for the heartlessness shown, I spent almost two hours looking for the disappeared beggar to allow him to kiss my hand. It seemed to me that I had offended him by refusing him, and remorse did not give me peace. However, I was never able to find a beggar.
Five years have passed since then...”
Did I manage to intrigue you?
If alone romantic story If you think it’s not enough, feel free to read another novel of the writer that is no less beloved by me - “The Girl from the Golden Horn”. In "The Girl from the Golden Horn", the author, following his style of writing and taking readers into different corners light - Berlin, Istanbul, Bosnia, New York, pays close attention the inner experiences and reflections of the characters. Kurban Said's favorite theme is the confrontation between East and West, their sincere desire and attempts at rapprochement remain futile and lead nowhere, the hearts of each of the heroes remain devoted to their blood traditions, their homeland, their concepts of duty, honor and love. main character- Asiada (Asia) - amazes with its purity, integrity of views, femininity and wisdom.
"The Girl from the Golden Horn" is one of those rare books, which I would like to recommend to friends. No vulgarity or far-fetchedness. All about life...
Enjoy your reading!
My project "Summer in Georgia"
The sculpture “Ali and Nino”, installed on the embankment of the resort city of Batumi, has become a symbol of love that can overcome boundaries and prejudices. The moving installation embodies the idea of the magnetic attraction of a man and a woman and their unity despite life's difficulties.
The artist and architect Tamara Kvesitadze was inspired to create a futuristic masterpiece by a novel, the authorship of which is attributed to the Azerbaijani writer Kurban Said (disputes among literary scholars on this issue still do not subside). The book is dedicated tragic fate Azerbaijani Muslim Ali Khan Shirvanshir and Christian Georgian princess Nino Kipiani. Touching and beautiful story narrates the collision different cultures and the immortality of love. The lovers went through many trials to end up together, but in the end they had to separate due to circumstances.
The avant-garde moving monument symbolizes the eternal cycle of relationships: the desire for each other, a short moment of meeting and forced separation. The two 7m tall figures are made of metal plates with gaps, allowing them to merge into one whole and then separate and continue on their way alone. The mesmerizing action begins daily at 7 pm. With the onset of dusk, multi-colored neon lighting turns on, creating spectacular variations of highlights and shadows on the installation and the surface of the sea. The movement cycle lasts 10 minutes. IN daytime the frozen statues of a man and a woman become translucent against the sky.
Previously, the pedestal was located at the very edge of the water, but due to waves and splashes it began to collapse, so they decided to move the structure 50 m deep into the boulevard. During the dismantling process, the cable broke and the steel structure fell into the sea. The reconstruction took several weeks, and now one of the city's landmarks has once again taken its place. The base was fenced with a transparent barrier.
The sculptural composition earned recognition from art critics at the Venice Biennale and was included in the list of such tourist tops as “15 stunning sculptures whose existence is hard to believe” and “10 most famous romantic monuments in the world.” The model of the dynamic monument has been exhibited more than once in galleries in Europe and the USA and has received worldwide fame.
The author of the project is a native of Tbilisi. Tamara Kvesitadze lived in Italy for some time, and then moved to America, where she now works and creates new artistic creations. Initially, the art object was called “Man and Woman,” but then received the names of the heroes of the love story. The novel, which became a bestseller in 1937, has been reprinted more than 100 times in translations in 33 languages, and was made into a film in 2015. The film was released under the title "Ali and Nino" world premiere British film took place at the Sundance International Film Festival. In 2016, a play based on the book was staged on the stage of the Russian Drama Theater in Baku; the work of the director and actors aroused rave reviews from viewers and critics.
Love story of Ali and Nino
The young man and the girl fell in love at first sight when they were high school students, but Nino’s relatives were against marrying a Muslim. Despite the family's protests, the daughter of the Georgian prince reciprocated the feelings of the descendant of the aristocratic khan's family. The young beauty received an excellent secular education, spoke several foreign languages, loved opera and balls, did not wear a headscarf or cover her face. Life in a harem was not suitable for the wayward princess, and for Ali she became the only wife. It seemed that a bright future awaited the couple, despite the difference in perception of the world due to faith and upbringing, but history intervened in their fate.
The action of the novel takes place in the Caucasus and Iran against the backdrop of epoch-making events: the First World War, revolution, riots, the collapse of the Russian Empire, the struggle for the independence of Azerbaijan, the rise of the Bolsheviks to power and the suppression of pockets of national resistance.
The dramatic relationship between lovers is full of religious and ethnic contradictions, just like Time of Troubles, in which the heroes live. But their love knows no barriers and proves that a union is possible between people who profess different traditions Islam and Christianity, East and West. The story is told from the perspective of the main character, who writes down his thoughts and current events in a diary. At the end of the novel, Ali dies, and Nino disappears without a trace along with his daughter.
How to get to the sculpture "Ali and Nino"
You can get to the sculpture “Ali and Nino” on foot from any part of the coastal area of Batumi. City buses No. 1, 1a, 2, 4, 10, 13 go to Primorsky Park, stop “Gogebashvili”. If you don't want to use public transport, online taxi call services will come to the rescue. They work in Batumi mobile applications Yandex.Taxi and Maxim.
On the embankment, where steel silhouettes of a man and a woman meet and part every evening, other “ Business Cards» resort: Batumi Lighthouse, Monument to the Georgian Alphabet and Chacha Tower.
Video of the sculpture “Ali and Nino”
Video of the monument to love from a different angle
Every city in Georgia has its own flavor. A unique, beautiful and unusual highlight. Batumi was no exception. Here, at the very entrance to the city, there is a very original statue, which was installed in 2011. From the very first day of its existence, the statue received a simple name - “Man and Woman”. But soon the city residents renamed it and gave it another name - Ali and Nino. But few who come to Georgia know who Ali and Nino are and why these huge seven-meter figures are named by these names.
And few people realize that Ali and Nino are two people who, by the will of fate, were first united into one whole, and then again, by fate, separated forever...
And this tragic and bright love story is described in the book of the same name, the authorship of which is attributed to Kurban Said. However, there are two other authors who could also write this wonderful book. One of them is Lev Nussimbaum, a German who converted to Islam. He, like the hero of the novel, studied at the Baku gymnasium. Some even claim that Kurban Said is just a pseudonym for Lev Nussimbautu. The second possible author of the text is Yusif Chemenzeminli, an Azerbaijani writer. His daughters, like Nino, studied at the Baku girls’ gymnasium.
The names Ali and Nino are well known in Georgia. It is for this reason that after installing the sculpture local residents renamed these figures and gave them real names. And those buildings in Baku that are described in the book have survived in the city to this day. But they are not included in any guidebook, and none of the tourists simply know about their existence, unless, of course, local residents tell about it. And there really is something to talk about.
The main character of the work is Ali Khan Shirvanshir. He is a descendant of the ancient and noble aristocratic family of Shirvanshirov. Once upon a time, long ago, the ancestor of Ali Khan named Ibrahim Khan, with his own hands, handed over to the ruler of Baku the sword with which the Russian general Tsitsianishvili was stabbed to death. Throughout the entire novel, Ali Khan's parents remain adherents of Asian culture and everything European in their souls does not find shelter. But Ali Khan himself is brought up in a very ordinary school and there he also experiences the power of the West.
At the same time, the daughter of the Prince of Georgia, Nino Kipiani, is studying at the girls' gymnasium. And one day Ali met a girl not far from the place where the gymnasium itself is located. Friendship first strikes up between young people, and then real first love breaks out.
Ali constantly helps his young friend with her homework; they often meet in the Governor’s Garden, where they walk along its alleys and kiss for the first time. But the trouble was that Ali Khan was a Muslim, and Nino was a Christian. And the clash of these two religions is very vividly described in the novel itself.
But through his love for Nino, Ali Khan begins to get used to the Christian faith more and more, to come closer and closer to the European world and its traditions. After the young people graduate, Ali proposes to Nino. But at first the girl refuses, and only when Ali promises her that he will not require her to wear a veil and will not marry anyone else, Nino agrees. Ali Khan's father is not at all against this state of affairs and approves of the wedding, but Nino's father is strongly opposed to his daughter becoming the wife of a Muslim.
In the summer, the young couple and their parents leave for Shusha, where Ali encounters an aristocrat from Armenia Melik Nahararyan. The guys strike up a friendship, but Melik is attracted to the beautiful Nino at first sight and makes every effort to take the girl with him to Sweden.
But then the First flares up World War. All Muslims were exempted from military service and participation in hostilities, but they still went to war. But Ali Khan did not go. And this greatly angered his father. She didn’t understand her lover and Nino. However, Ali Khan did not want to go to war for any reason. Russian Empire.
And then Melik suddenly arrives in Baku and organizes the kidnapping of the girl. Nino is not very opposed to this kidnapping. Her ardent love for Ali is already beginning to cool down and the girl really misses adventures. But Ali Khan, in anger, overtakes the fugitives on his horse and, during a fight that breaks out between the young people, kills Nahararyan. After this murder, Ali turns out to be a blood enemy of the Nahararyan family, and in order to save his life he is forced to hide in a Dagestan village. After some time, Nino finds him. Ali Khan forgives his beloved, and they arrange a wedding according to all Muslim traditions. During this marriage, the girl Tamara is born.
At the end of the book, Russian soldiers capture Baku. Ali Khan sends his beloved to Tbilisi, while he remains to defend his homeland. He never accepted the Russian Empire and Ali dies during a battle with Russian soldiers.
The names of these two people - the courageous and proud Ali Khan and the flighty but faithful Nino - are the names of an unusually beautiful statue in Batumi. As in life, the seven-meter statues of a girl and a boy first approach each other, then merge into a single whole, and at the very end they part once and for all. But, despite this separation, eternal love will always live in their hearts, respect and admiration for each other will always live.
Well, all we can do is watch this sacred merger and sad parting in the late evenings in Batumi, which will exist as long as the world exists.
The statues themselves are made of steel. Every 10 minutes they begin to move towards each other, and then merge into a single sculpture, and then disperse again. But it is best to contemplate the monument in the dark. Then this movement looks like a magical dance of love and at the same time so much charm emanates from it that it is simply impossible not to succumb to it.
In the seaside city of Batumi there is a huge statue that testifies to true love. Every resident of Georgia and all guests of the city know the history of the sculpture “Ali and Nino”. For the sake of the spectacle of personified history, thousands of tourists come to Batumi to at least once look at the incredible and amazing sculpture.
Love story
In 1937, a novel was published that won the hearts of millions. A tragic story can cause admiration or joy, tears and disappointment. This is a novel about hearts in love who went through everything in order to be together. In him main characters Ali and Nino. For religious reasons, the couple could not be together, because the guy was a Muslim and the girl was a Christian. The life of young people is described in vivid colors: they had to survive both the revolution and civil war, witness the formation of the Azerbaijan Republic.
The novel describes in detail the beauty, nature and life of Dagestan, Azerbaijan, Persia and Tiflis. Despite the fact that most of the events took place in Baku, famous sculpture“Ali and Nino” was erected in Batumi (Georgia).
Features of the statue
This is a very unusual sculpture, because it is located in constant movement. For this reason, many call such a miracle an installation. The creator and author of the symbol southern republic is Tamara Kvesitadze. the main task architect - to recreate all the experiences and difficulties that young people experienced in famous history.
The sculpture of love “Ali and Nino” reaches eight meters in height and consists of two separate figures. You will immediately understand what each statue represents. If you look closely, you can see how the integrity of the figures is broken and there are gaps. But this is not without reason, because this innovative solution is the essence of the installation.
If you manage to visit Batumi, be sure to visit the famous sculpture “Ali and Nino”. Please note that for a beautiful spectacle, the city authorities set the installation in motion at 19:00 every evening. As you pass by, stop and just remember the tragic story of a man and woman who fought for their happiness to the last.
Why is this installation so amazing?
The sculpture “Ali and Nino” in Batumi is a continuous movement of huge buildings. To understand the whole essence of the installation, you need to spend 10 minutes of your life and enjoy the wonderful spectacle. You will see how two statues slowly approach each other, gradually uniting into a single whole, and then diverge in different directions.
Tamara Kvesitadze was able to convey all the tragedy, because Ali and Nino always met on the sly for the sake of love, but eternal difficulties threw them in different directions. Surprisingly, the difficult but inspiring story ended well, and the young people were able to get married.
View from the outside
In the video, the installation seems so large that it almost reaches the roof multi-storey building. In fact, the height of the Ali and Nino sculpture does not exceed ten meters (including the stand). Based on reviews from tourists, we can say that even the small size of the installation evokes delight and surprise. The moral here is simple: lovers need to travel a long way to sneak into the arms of their other half. It is the halves that we are talking about, because two figures pass through each other, literally merging into a single whole.
Tourists' opinions:
- This installation is so magnificent that it makes you want to take a closer look at the famous novel.
- The figures move very slowly and pass through each other for 10-15 minutes, while they make a circle.
- The sculpture is mesmerizing; it is impossible to take your eyes off it. All the time that you spend near the pedestal, you begin to remember your love story. At such moments, you can feel a shiver throughout your body.
- It is recommended to watch man’s creation in the evening or at night, as the beautiful lighting turns on.
Look at the photo and see for yourself: Tamara Kvesitadze has recreated a wonderful installation that will amaze for many years to come.
How to get there
You need to get to the embankment of the square along Rustaveli Avenue and turn onto Gogebashvili Street. After the roundabout you will see a huge square from which you can see the Batumi lighthouse, the majestic KEMPINSKI hotel and the Ferris wheel. When you get to the embankment, use our landmarks. You will find the famous installation just 100 meters from the Ferris wheel.
Tip: Until 2010, the famous statue was called "Lovers", and on the map it is indicated as a metal sculpture "LOVE". However, more recently it has been dubbed the famous sculpture “Ali and Nino”. The description above will help you easily find your way to an unforgettable installation.
We are confident that the work of art will inspire you. But don’t be disappointed if the figures seem small to you. Just wait until dark and enjoy the pleasant spectacle in seaside Batumi.