The Sukhum Lighthouse is one of the city's tourist attractions. It is located in its west part which wedges out into the sea. It was built in 1864 in France upon request of the Department of Navy Navigation. The lighthouse is 37 meters high; its powerful lamp lights the hoizon with a ray up to 24 kilometers long. The lighthouse tower is made of iron; inside there is a winding staircase of 137 steps.

In 1877, during the Russo-Turkish war, the Turks took the lighthouse lamp as a trophy when they left the city. In 1878 it was replaced with a new one.

The lighthouse offers a gorgeous view on New Athos, Sukhum and the city surroundings. For years it has been a favorite visiting place for many famous people who came to Sukhum.
In 2000 the lighthouse went dark for a long time: there were no funds to support it. But in 2008 it was reconstructed and now, once again, lights the sea horizon to aid ship navigation.