Tskaltubo Spa

Two thirds of the largest hotel in the town is operational. The final third is left abandoned & amongst its relics is the room that once housed Joseph Stalin. In my collection of photos, the opening set are of his room, bathroom and office. It's quite incredible to imagine the historical scenes when you are there.

Elsewhere in the hotel, there is a stunning theatre that is a glistening reminder of how important a building this must have been at the height of Soviet rule. It was a photographic challenge to shoot this theatre and I was very proud of the images produced. There are not many opportunities like this for a photographer to reach into history and lift images.