Along Georgia’s Black Sea Coast, lies the small town of Poti. Here, you not only find sunbathers blanketing the stone beaches, but you can also find forgotten Soviet memorials. 

The Monument to the Hero Sailors, a tall Soviet-era monument sculpted in 1979 by architect Vakhtang Davitaya and sculptor Elguja Amashukeli is hidden amongst the holiday lets and souvenir shops. The monument consists of impressive towering white waves standing over a bronze man.

Soviet memorials in Georgia have been a topic of political contention over the years. In 2011, the decision was made to ‘outlaw’ many memorials and a significant number have already been removed. Nonetheless, the statues echo an important, if turbulent, time in Georgia’s history. To visit the sculpture for yourself, you can take a bus or train from Tbilisi and Batumi. The monument is an interesting history lesson for holidaymakers taking a break from the beach.