Europe Square & Medea Statue

Europe Square is the most theatrical open public space in the historic core of Batumi, laid out along Memed Abashidze Avenue.

History & Significance

Once called Era Square, it was renamed to commemorate the Adjara Autonomous Republic joining the Assembly of European Regions, so that both its name and its atmosphere now symbolise Georgia's westward, European orientation. The square is framed by late-19th and early-20th-century neoclassical and eclectic facades, with domed roofs, ornate balconies and pastel stucco that transplant an Italian and Central European urban aesthetic onto the Black Sea coast; the former National Bank building is the most striking of these frontages.

The Medea Statue & Astronomical Clock

At the heart of the square rises the Medea Statue, designed by the Georgian architect and sculptor Davit Khmaladze and unveiled on 6 July 2007 by then-president Mikheil Saakashvili. Atop a tall column, a gilded figure of Medea lifts the golden Fleece, referencing the myth of the ancient kingdom of Colchis and the legend of the Argonauts: Medea, daughter of King Aeëtes, helped Jason seize the Golden Fleece, and the fleece's association with gold recalls the region's millennia-old goldsmithing tradition. Today the statue stands as a symbol of prosperity and of the city's link to classical mythology. Another highlight is the astronomical clock, commissioned in Germany and installed in 2010 on a building facade; it displays not only the time but also the position of the sun, the phases of the moon, the zodiac and the planets.

Visiting, Access & Tips

Turkish agencies routing Black Sea-Georgia tours across the Sarpi border crossing include Europe Square in almost every itinerary, because it is easily reached on foot and is a compact, photogenic stop. The average visit lasts 20 to 40 minutes, and on guided tours the square usually anchors the start or end of a walking loop through Piazza Square, the old town and the seaside boulevard. The best photographs frame the Medea column against the neoclassical facades, especially at sunset and under evening illumination. The square is pedestrianised; coaches drop off on the nearby avenue, and its flat paving makes it comfortable for wheelchair users. The best months are May to October, with peak crowds in July-August and around New Year celebrations.