This page is for lighthouses of the former Soviet republic of Georgia, not the U.S. state that has the same name by coincidence. The citizens of the country call it Sakartvelo (საქართველო); the name "Georgia" seems to come from an early name Gurzhan or Gurjistan. Georgia, or Sakartvelo, is located south of the Caucasus Mountains at the eastern end of the Black Sea, bordering Turkey to the south and Russia to the north. In medieval times the Kingdom of Georgia was a powerful Christian state that dominated the Transcaucasian region. Following the Mongol invasions in the 13th century it struggled to maintain itself, finally breaking into independent principalities in the 15th century. After being annexed by the Russian Empire in the early 1800s Georgia was briefly independent during the Russian Revolution (1918-21). The country was then incorporated into the Soviet Union from 1921 to 1991 before resuming its independence. Today the coastal region of the republic has three distinct parts: Adjara in the southwest, Guria in the west and Mingrelia (Samegrelo) in the northwest. Each of these regions has its own complex history and each has a distinct status today. Poti is the major port of Mingrelia, and Batumi (Batum) is the capital and major port of Adjara. An explantion is in order concerning Abkhazia, an autonomous republic on Georgia's northwestern frontier with Russia. In 1931 the Soviet Union transferred Abkhazia from the Russian Federation to the Soviet Republic of Georgia. After Georgia regained its independence in 1991 Abkhazia revolted against Georgian rule. A bitter struggle in 1992-93 led to Abkhazia becoming a detached region guarded by Russian troops. Additional fighting in 2008 brought more Russian troops into Abkhazia. The independence of Abkhazia is recognized only by Russia and a few other countries; Georgia and most United Nations members regard it as a Russian-occupied territory. However, since reunion of Abkhazia with Georgia does not seem likely in the near future the lighthouses of Abkhazia are listed on a separate page. Ferries cross the Black Sea lengthwise from Bulgaria to Georgia, providing a connection to Europe. The Georgian language is written in a distinctive script. The word for a lighthouse is shuqura (შუქურა); k’undzuli is an island, konts'hki is a cape, mdinare is a river, navsadguri is a harbor, and p’ort’i is a port. Lighthouses in Georgia are maintained by the State Hydrographic Service. ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume N of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 113.
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![]() Batumi Light, Batumi, October 2019 photo copyright Heather Craven; used by permission |
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![]() Batumi Range Left and Right Lights, Batumi, October 2019 photo copyright Heather Craven; used by permission |
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![]() Small Port Light, Batumi, April 2016 Georgian State Hydrographic Service photo |
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![]() Poti Light, Poti, 2013 Georgian State Hydrographic Service photo |
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![]() Anaklia Light atop the Golden Fleece Hotel, Anaklia, August 2022 Google Maps photo by Oleg Shishkovich |
Information available on lost lighthouses:
Notable faux lighthouses:
Adjoining pages: North: Abkhazia | South: Northern Turkey
Return to the Lighthouse Directory index | Ratings key
Posted March 12, 2007. Checked and revised August 27, 2024. Lighthouses: 20. Site copyright 2024 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.