Abandoned beach at paradise Gagra in Russia, resort to ruins. After several centuries of wars, in the late 1800s, the town was “discovered” by a member of the Russian royalty. Prince Peter of Oldenburg saw the potential of the subtropical climate and built Gagra into a resort on the Black Sea. He added a park with tropical trees and even imported parrots and monkeys to give it an exotic feel. It’s the warmest city on the Black Sea coast and beautiful beaches stretch on for miles. Like any posh resort in a warm location, both the beach and the surrounding mountains added to its charm and made Gagra a popular tourist destination. During World War II, it served as a health resort in Imperial Russia during the days of the Soviet Union for the rehabilitation of wounded soldiers. From then onward, Gagra grew in popularity and reputation into the “Russian Riviera.” Photo #1 by Svetlana Grechkina
In 1989, Gagra had a population of 26,636. But all-out war erupted between 1992 and 1993, leaving the resort city of Gagra as a war-torn paradise in ruins. Hundreds of thousands of Georgians were expelled from their homes and so very many were massacred. Gagra turned into an abandoned ghost town due to “ethnic-cleansing and mass expulsion of ethnic Georgians from Abkhazia.” Photo #2 by Vyacheslav Stepanyuchenko
Old houses in Gagra, Abkhazia. Photo #3 by Vyacheslav Argenberg
Gagra, view from the Black Sea while it was still an idealistic resort. Photo #4 by Daniel Rogalsky
The war changed Gagra from the happy place to a land most would dread to tread upon. Since countless thousands of murders happened here, an entire extermination of people, the overgrown ruins of war-torn Gagra are seeped in trauma. Some folks claim that Gagra is more than a ghost town; some folks claim it’s actually haunted with real ghosts. This is the road to Ritza – Ritza Lake and Stalin’s cottage and Gagra. Photo #5 by Daniil Dugaev
No more fun boat rides at the Russian Riviera. Photo #6 by Svetlana Grechkina
An abandoned yellow cable car remains as the only part of the ride that once transported Gagra visitors from place to place at this paradise resort. The photographer noted that there used to also be a red tram car, but it was blown up during the filming of a movie. Photo #7 by © Oleg Slesarev
View from the former relaxing cable ride at Seaside Park. Photo #8 by Vyacheslav Fomichev
The once grand castle of the Prince of Oldenburg was called ‘The Seagull.’ Photo #9 by Vyacheslav Fomichev
Castle of the Prince of Oldenburg after the war. Photo #10 by Vyacheslav Fomichev
Once upon a time, this room offered a princely view over the Russian Riviera resort, but now The Seagull is beyond abandoned. Photo #11 by © Oleg Slesarev
Prince of Oldenburg’s holiday home ‘The Seagull’ was robbed and never restored from the ruins. Photo #12 by © Oleg Slesarev
More rotting ruins of the prince’s Seagull castle. Photo #13 by © Oleg Slesarev
Echo of grandeur remains in this mosaic wall. Photo #14 by Vyacheslav Fomichev
Foot bridge into foggy Gagra, cross it if you dare. Photo #15 by Ivan Ermokhin
The once pretty ponds are now overgrown, while the fountains and statues slowly grow slimy. Photo #16 by Vyacheslav Fomichev
3 Graces Fountain. The photographer explained that this was called Gagarin Square and was decorated with a “fountain out of gear called ‘Three Graces’.” Oleg added notes from a 1980 “Black Sea coast of Caucasus” tourist edition magazine: “Gagra – one of the finest resorts in the Black Sea coast. Pinned to the sea, mountain range, it stretches along the shore of Mirror Bay. Gopami protected from the cold continental winds and at the same time open from the warm sea, Gagra on their climatic conditions – one of the best places in the Soviet Union. This is the warmest and driest place on the Black Sea coast of Caucasus. The average annual temperature reaches 15.2 degrees +, and rainfall is 1300 millimeters per year . begin to bathe here in May and the end of autumn, in November, when most of the country the mercury thermometer drops below zero, and in some places already raging snowstorm. The best time of year – August, September, October. In these months the temperature of sea water ranges from 18 to 28 degrees.” Photo #17 by © Oleg Slesarev
Railway station in Abkhazia. The photographer wrote, “This is an abandoned railway station in Abkhazia, former Russian territory. It stays untouched since the collapse of USSR – the railway connection of Abkhazia and Russia stopped and railway station left out of demand so nature could take over the left-overs of Soviet architecture. In my opinion it reminds somehow the Prince of Persia video game scenes or scenes from the movie of the abandoned civilization after some major disaster.” Photo #18 by antidigital_da
Resort to ruins – Gagra is a city in the Abkhazia, sprawling for 5 km on the northeast coast of the Black Sea, at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains. Its subtropical climate made Gagra a popular health resort and “paradise” in Soviet times. Photo #19 by Vyacheslav Argenberg
Abandoned resort at the Russian Riviera. Photo #20 by Svetlana Grechkina
Haunting image. Mysterious chair at former resort pool. Photo #21 by Daniil Dugaev
Amazing preservation of stucco on the Gagra cinema ceiling. Photo #22 by © Oleg Slesarev
Archer statue and fountain in front of the Gagripsh Restaurant at Seaside Park. Photo #23 by Vyacheslav Fomichev
Inside Abkhazia, Gagra railroad station. Photo #24 by © Oleg Slesarev
Abandoned railway station Abaata. Photo #25 by © Oleg Slesarev
Resort to Russian ruins. Photo #26 by mikesub
Depressing… Photo #27 by mikesub
During the Battle of Gagra, this Georgian military bus and its occupants were destroyed. Photo #28 by Антон Буслов
Obsolete and abandoned park. Photo #29 by Daniil Dugaev
Among the ruins, you can still see architectural beauty. Photo #30 by Vyacheslav Argenberg
Another statue from the former days of Gagra glogy. Photo #31 by Vyacheslav Argenberg
Ruins of Stalin’s summer-house by the Lake Ritsa. Photo #32 by Vyacheslav Argenberg
Winter Theater. Photo #33 by Vyacheslav Fomichev
Nature starting to reclaim the ruined resort. Photo #34 by antidigital_da
Terraces station with ivy and thorns. Photo #35 by © Oleg Slesarev
Despite the ruins which have taken over the resort, nature remains as spectacularly gorgeous as always. Here is the River Zhoekvara scenic view near Gagra. Photo #36 by © Oleg Slesarev
Trees and sunlight in abandoned resort Rагры (Gagra). Photo #37 by Svetlana Grechkina
Cool shade, the moss covering the trunks and clumps hanging from the branches – a real Troll forest. Photo #38 by © Oleg Slesarev
Gegsky Waterfall in Gagra. Photo #39 by Vyacheslav Argenberg
Strolling along “ruins” of Russian Riviera. Photo #40 by Vyacheslav Argenberg
Beach at a semi-abandoned paradise. Photo #41 by Jenjke Bykov
View of Gagra’s wharf sometime between 1905 and 1915. Photo #42 by The Library od Congress Prints & Photographs Online Catalog
Colonnade at Gagra town park when it was still a resort paradise. Photo #43 by Dims
The Beach at Gagra now. Photo #44 by Svetlana Grechkina
Nature at the former Russian Riviera is still stunning. Photo #45 by Svetlana Grechkina
“Old” Gagra is still gorgeous, but a new Gagra was built a ways off from this beautiful Black Sea coast. Why would people not rebuild exactly on this spot of paradise? Is it indeed true, that the resort ruins of abandoned Gagra is filled with ghostly visitors who refuse to move on? Photo #46 by mikesub
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This is how Crimea would look like in 5 years if russians have left it to Ukraine
You’re mistaken, Crimea will look like this in 5 years if Russia does not give it back to Ukraine. Crimea was developing as a resort all of last 24 years being Ukrainian. Now after russian occupation it will become a military poligon desert. I know what i say as i live in Crimea. But who are you saying that??
Crimea already does look like this. Huge air of neglect there now, especially around Simferopol. A ban on foreign transactions and European companies from investing there has made it isolated like Abkhazia.
Actually, the situation in Crimea could get worse than Abkhazia due to its larger population and lack of a physical land connection to Russia. At least ATMs work with foreign cards in Abkhazia – you’ll have no such luck in Crimea.
It would be cool to buy some property there and fix it up. Stunning landscape
It is beautiful and special!
Amazing photos. Now it just needs a brave visionary to bring it back to what it was
Stunning, absolutely stunning! Its the combination of scenery, sea and architecture. Pity a Russian billionaire doesn’t buy it and restore it
“Russian billionaire doesn’t buy it and restore it”…that will be absolutly unfair,why russian?it is not russia’s teritory!!!It’s Apkhazia!!!It’s Georgia!!!
It is not Georgia! It is ABKHAZIA!
Keep dreaming until we come back and take what belongs and always belonged to us, it was and will be always Georgia !
And now we know why it will never be restored.
2013. and humans still behaving like territorial apes with nuclear weapons… Can’t let you play outside until you clean your house and learn to play nice. hint, hint. 😉
Abkhazia is Georgia, don’t forget that!
I would love to inherit something like that… there’s SOOO much potential
As many sweaty arm-pits to build all this as were wasted building Detroit City. Both, Communism and Capitalism failed the working folk that made these wonders possible. Will the new, Oriental philosophy based empire rising in Asia today do any better?
if I could punch you in the face, I would.
The only difference between Gagra and Detroit is that there was never any ethnic cleansing in Detroit. You can count me out when it comes time to buy that property… bad karma…
True. it is Bad karma. Anybody trying to touch this or own this will suffer. All those souls of the fallen and the murdered will not be very forgiving.
I don’t know if I agree with that. Wouldn’t they be happy to see someone erasing the bad memories and improving upon it?
But there must had been ethnic cleansing of the Native Americans before Detroit City was built!!!
Images like this are really heart breaking! I’d love to see it done up again, with emphasis on education about the ethnic cleansing that happened. If people are told about the horrors of what happened here, then it would go towards making sure nothing like it happens again.
It is Georgian land and always will be. It was unrightfully invaded and thousands had to flee and leave their homes. So no its not a pity that a russian billionaire hasn’t restored it. Probably because everyone in the world still recognizes it as Georgian territory, same a Sukhumi, Abkhazia. They are beautiful photos but bitter sweet, because once it flourished and was inhibited by many different ethnicities but now it is a memory of war and Russian imperialism. So the article I’m sure was written in good nature but the headline should be shortened and Abandonded Russian Riviera- which it is not – should be left to just Paradise Left to Ruins.
> It is Georgian land and always will be.
It had never been georgian (can you see russian letters here on old photos?).
And it will never be (once georgian government starts and loose war with Abhasian people).
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It will be Georgia again,some day,and there will be paradais again,and pepole will live friendly,happy live….
That picture of the “mysterious chair” makes me wonder if someone was tied to it and tortured.
How tragic, and how incredibly sad. Why is it so difficult for mankind to build instead of making war.
Abkhazia isn’t Russian – it’s Georgian.
so many unrecognised states in the former soviet union: Transdinistra, Chechnya, Nagorno-Karabakh, Abkhazia, South Ossetia
Abkhazia used to be Russian as Georgia was. Abkhazia was also briefly Georgian (and not so briefly, if the soviet era is considered, it became part of Georgia as autonomous republic in 1931 by Stalin’s decision) but it is not Georgian anymore and never will be despite of all pretensions of clowns ruling in Tbilisi. They started the war (and more than once), and they lost it. Let it go and live your life as you can.
Abkhazia isn’t Russian – it’s Georgian. Why Russian language? Because Russia occupied Georgia for many years. Abkhazia is part of Georgia. Might is not right…
Could not agree more..
Beautiful pictures thou and the place would be beautiful again when Georgians will return there.
Russia never cared and never will about development of occupied lands!
Sad that Gagra is gone, I was there when I was 5-6 years old, now even if I wish to go I cant, as I m Georgian.
Hate the fact that Russia has done so much damage to our little country, and I really hope, that one day Abkhazia will realize that they re more part of Georgia than Russia… Will need generations though.
wow!!! politics is always involved conflicts!!!
All demage your “little country” with imperial pretensions in Caucasus region has suffered were purely self-inflicted. Don’t blame Russia for idiocy of Georgian ruling clowns, who started and lost a half dozen regional wars in last 25 years.
Russia has barely done anything to them. So don’t say something unless you have your facts straight
WTF ?!
Just google some documentary videos.
Let’s see what u will say after that !
Do you mean google some propagandist trash? Russia is in no way responsible for idiocy of clowns and thugs ruling in Tbilisi, who repeatedly launched several inter-ethnic and civic wars in area of former Georgian SSR and who turned the life there into a hell.
I’ve been there. Now there are much better than in photos.
Note that it is not Russia but Abkhazian Autonomous Republic of Georgia
Russian letters are all over the post soviet countries and cities. And you can see Georgain letters also on the same photos, by the way. So it is not an argument.
been there. it was awesome. go to abkhasia!
[…] from here […]
Really enjoyed reading this and the photography used. I’m surprised a rich developer hasn’t gone in, bought it all and made a real go of it. Looks a beautiful place. Thanks for sharing.
This is a Georgian land! everyone must remember this!!
It beautiful. I love to explore it in person
WOW — shocking. So sad to see such a gorgeous place go from bustling to ghost town in no time, bc of war… =( amazing photo essay btw
Like so many places around the world, this was a paradise under the peaceful local population (in this case, Abkhaz and Georgian), turned into a nightmare and ruins under Russian intervention.
Looking forward to the ext movie that uses this setting as its backdrop.
Ðто безобразие , что там творитÑÑ
Why?….why change anything at all?…it is so beautiful just as it is,..occupied by those unseen that may have been a part of this place in its heyday. There is beauty in decay that simply can’t be replicated by the hands of man…..
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Nice. It would be a great complement to Sochi.
What’s up with Georgians whining in this thread. Please leave your political bickering at home.
Don’t forget me ..i love israel women charm but i hate woody Allen
Let it go….let it go.
they need to just make this a “Haunted Resort!” I’d be kick ass around halloween.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. What was once beautiful, always will be.
Gagra is not in Russia. It is in Georgia. It is currently militarily occupied by Russia which also expelled the Georgian population from there in an ethnic cleansing campaign. Every single country in the world except Russia, NIcaragua and Hamas recognizes Abkhazia as the Georgian territory.
it is GEORGIA !!! historic land of georgians !!!
love the page. great shots.
Could anyone tell me if this beautiful town has been restored at all or is it continuing to decay? Do people live there again and has tourism started again?
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I’d live there, me and ghosts get along pretty fine really … they’d enjoy my company i reckon. it is sad that people fight and will cotinue to be horrible to each other until they learn that fighting sucks.
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This is such a shame. It looks like an amazing place to explore.
Hey Mr. Get some F****in Education first and u wont say russian riviera after. Abkhazia Georgian Riviera.
[…] Abandoned Russian Riviera: Resort Paradise to Ruins [46 PICS] […]
საქართველოს მთლიანობას გაუმარჯოს !
This is my city, I live here and it is still beautiful. Many peoples killed here in war, we will not rebuild a paradise on they graves with soil of they bloods
Seeing those pictures kinda kills my heart. I was born there, I had a place there and then we lost it all in the war, which non of us wanted to happen. And Apkhazian and Russian people brag how they were playing football with heads of Georgians there and you hear a lot of stories of people being tortured and the only thing I can hope for is that my father, who was just a citizen and was killed trying to protect his town was not tortured like a lot of others.
And then you see pictures like that and people saying it´s so nice and recommend others to go there and it´s like all that loss was for nothing and people enjoy being there like nothing ever happened.
Someone lives in my house and I´m not allowed to go back there.
It really is the biggest pain in my life
Beautiful and so sad.
It is What Russia Imperialism has done in Georgian territory ,and is going to do in Ukraine today!
Cock sucking Russians are to blame for Abkhazia war.
That’s what happened with Gaza strip when Israel gave it to arabs. Nobody will buy and develop, because political risk is too high. Nobody will come to spend vacations in a place where you can be killed or kidnapped.
there is a big mistake. Gagra always belonged to Georgia. It was Georgian riviera and not Russian.
тоже самое будет с крымом где прошел русский там разруха
Even in ruins it continue to show Cartier/character, it’s stunning, and scenic, you can feel the wealth, that once gave pleasure; that once capture this land. It’s BEAUTY!!! Sooo beautiful 🙂
Сделанное руками американских подстрекателей и карманных шавок, старательно травящих Россию. Хватит стравливать народы- дайте спокойно строить! При”русском империализме” тут был курорт, а что сейчас?!
This is not Russian riviera!!!
This is GEORGIA! it has always been that way and it will always be GEORGIA!!!
It is a really beautiful place….but in reality it doesn’t belong to anyone..Russian,Georgian,Apkhazian….just because you lived there, was born there, etc doesn’t mean you own it…the only thing as that owns everything we have is Nature or God if you blieve…we are ALL transients on this planet. Only here for a short time…As you all can see…the humans have left and who survives..Nature…in its splendor can heal all that we can screw up with our misguided philisophical ideals…
So true WmC and through forces of nature, having too many children, we’re flushing ourselves and the world down the toilet, sadly.
If it will be ever restored I will go on holidays for sure. I hope it will some day. Amazing place.