“Man and Woman” is a 8 meter (26 foot) tall moving steel sculpture by Georgian sculptor Tamara Kvesitadze. Located in the seaside city of Batumi, Georgia, the two figures represent a Muslim boy, Ali, and a Georgian princess, Nino, from a famous 1937 novel by Azerbaijani author Kurban Said. The tragic story ends with the lovers separated by the invasion of Soviet Russia.

The statues begin to move every day at 7 p.m., merging for a short embrace, before leaving each other behind. After 10 minutes the movement is complete. The statue was designed in 2007 but only installed in 2010; it has since been retitled “Ali and Nino.” You can find and English translation of “Ali and Nino” on Amazon.

Located in Batumi, Georgia, the tragic lovers begin to move every night at 7 p.m.

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Image credits: anasty44

The statues are inspired by a love story between a Muslim boy and a Georgian princess who come from different religious backgrounds

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Image credits: olyagrebelnaya

Briefly, “Ali and Nino” embrace, before passing through each other

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Image credits: estodpesto

Their movement symbolizes the tragic separation of Ali and Nino after the Soviet Invasion

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Image credits: kadrozgunduz

The mysterious Kurban Said wrote the novel in 1937

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Image credits: Rich Mclear

To this day, nobody knows the true identity of the author

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Image credits: el questeto

Nevertheless, this powerful love story has been translated into more than 30 languages

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