Zugdidi - Big City, located in western Georgia, is the center of the Zugdidi region, as well as the Zugdidi-Tsaish diocese and Samegrelo-Zamo Svaneti. Translated from Mingrelian, Gugdidi means “big hill”. The population of the city is about 75 thousand inhabitants, that is, a sixth of all Samegrelo and a seventh of the Megrelian people. Here they speak the Zugdidi dialect of the Mingrelian language, considered the standard and classic.
The distance from Tbilisi to Zugdidi is approximately 300 kilometers. The city is located at an altitude of one hundred meters from sea level.
How to get there
There are only two ways to get to Zugdidi - air and land. The land way is by jeep or one of the rare regular buses. This road can be called very long and tiring. There is a comfortable twelve-seater plane Tbilisi - Mestia, the ticket price for which is 90 GEL. You just need to remember that it is impossible to predict the weather in the mountains, so sudden flight cancellations may occur. You can also get there by bus from, but the road will be too tiring.
From Mestia to Zugdidi they go minibuses. The fare is 15 GEL. It should be taken into account that taxi drivers start working early in the morning, but after lunch you won’t find any.
What interesting sights to see in Zugdidi
The city has a very modest history. We can mention the residence of the princes Dadiani and ancient temple. Back in the nineteenth century, no more than one thousand people lived in these places, whose houses were located not far from the palace. The modern city is practically a new building, and there is nothing to photograph here except the palace and the temple.
Not far from Zugdidi you can see the Rukh Fortress, located seven kilometers away. There is a resort and beach suburb of Anaklia, which is thirty kilometers away. If you move towards Tbilisi, then after eleven kilometers you can get to the village of Tsaishi, where you can get acquainted with its famous cathedral. And if you go towards Mestia, you can get to the village of Kortskheli, where they will show you an unknown cave and a temple of the 12th century. In the city of Tsalenjikha you will be introduced to the Spassky Cathedral, and in the cities of Jvari and Chkhorotsku you will be shown ancient fortresses.
To the south of Zugdidi, on the Tbilisi highway, it is worth seeing the city of Khobi, which has the Khobi Monastery, where an exhibition of Mingrelian Christian relics is kept.
Prices for travelers to Zugdidi
Tourists in the city are most often transit tourists heading to Svaneti. Local residents treat visitors this way, implying that they have nothing to do in Zugdidi. The number of hotels in Zugdidi is also limited. Or rather, there is only one hostel, which is called “Zugdidi-Hostel”, and you can spend the night there for 20 GEL. The hostel address is Griboedova Street, building 1. It is located one and a half kilometers from Freedom Square, not far from the river bank.
There are also few restaurants in Zugdidi. There are several cheap eateries near the market. We can recommend the interesting and serious restaurant "Diaroni", located on Konstantin Gamsakhurdia Street. This restaurant is located in the city center, close to central square, about eighty meters, if you move on the right side. This restaurant has a wide range of inexpensive dishes. For example, a large bowl of satsivi costs 20 lari. It is very tasty to eat satsivi together with elarji. In general, this is where high-quality Megrelian food and aromatic coffee are served.
Walk around the city
In the city center there are two squares, which are connected by a 511-meter-long boulevard. The boulevard is lined with large shady trees and a few cafes. There is also a hotel, cinema, post office and city hall building here. The boulevard ends with Freedom Square, around which several banks and the local administration cluster.
The boulevard begins from the central square, from which Teatralnaya Street departs, leading to the Shalva Dadiani Drama Theater. If you move north, you can reach the stadium. In the west there are several khachapurs, in the north there is an alley leading to the Dadiani Palace.
Parallel to the boulevard runs Gamsakhurdia Street, on which only a restaurant can be mentioned. David Agmesenebeli Street smoothly flows into the Tbilisi highway. The Zugdidi Cathedral has not yet been completed; it should become the central cathedral of the Zugdidi-Tsaish diocese.
It is worth mentioning Rustaveli Street, leading to the eastern and western parts of the city. You can use it to get to the shopping center and Zugdidi market, and then to railway station. Having reached the Svan Tower, the tourist will be able to take a minibus, which will take him to Svaneti.
City `s history
The former name of Zugdidi is Dadi. For many years, these places were the winter residence of the owners of Megrelia - the Dadiani princes. If you drive seven kilometers, then on the banks of the Enguri River you can see the ruins remaining from the Rukh fortress. In these places a bloody battle took place between King Solomon and Katsia Dadiani.
In 1850, the Frenchman Rozmordyuk founded a silk-winding factory in Zugdidi, which ceased to exist at the beginning of the 20th century. When the Crimean War was going on, the city was occupied by the Turkish army, commanded by Omer Pasha. In 1857, the village blacksmith Utu Mikava led an uprising and captured Zugdidi.
After Civil War in Russia, the Kuban Red Army marched into Georgia and conquered Zugdidi in March 1921.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Zugdidi became the headquarters of Zviad Gamsakhurdia, who headed the government in exile. On August 11, after the Georgian attack on South Ossetia, Zugdidi was captured Russian troops, but was soon released.
Dadiani Palace is full of treasures, the main ones being the shroud of the Virgin Mary and one of Napoleon's three death masks. But why is the French relic located on Georgian soil? The Megrelian princes Dadiani were related to Napoleon, and to be more precise, one of the princesses Dadiani was married to Napoleon’s nephew Askil Murat. Therefore, the Dadiani princes inherited many relics associated with Napoleon.
Therefore, this palace is the main pride of the entire city. The ownership of which was claimed for a long time by Prince Alain Murat, but the Palace complex remained the property of Georgia, thanks to which today anyone can walk through the royal mansions and see more than 40,000 exhibits, including works by Western European masters, ancient icons, and ancient relics.
Moreover, on the territory of the palace complex there is a botanical garden with rare varieties of plants and trees, some of which are single specimens on the Eurasian continent.
Mestia village
The village of Mestia is located in the central-western Caucasus, at the confluence of the Mestiachala and Mulakhura rivers at an altitude of approximately 1500 m above sea level, the length of the village is 6 kilometers.
It is surrounded by chestnut and pine forests, on the southern side the Zuruldi ridge is visible, on the northern side is Mount Tskhakvzagari, on the eastern side - mountain range Banguriani, and from the western side there is a panorama of the Laila peak.
The village has several monuments, churches and fortresses, which are included in the list world heritage UNESCO, as well as the Museum of History and Ethnography, the ancient Svan residential complex of the Margiani family, the house-museum of the mountaineer Mikhail Khergiani. Of the churches in Mestia, the most notable is the 9th century Church of the Transfiguration in the Lagami area.
There are several springs in Mestia mineral water. One is located right in the center, the other three are on the banks of the Malakhuri River.
The city has three hotels and many family hotels, as well as an ambulance and a hospital.
Not far from Mestia there are popular tourist routes to the Chalaadi glacier and to the Koruldi lakes.
Near the village at a distance of 7 km there is a new ski resort Hatsvali. They rent equipment there and have a cafe. A modern concrete road has been laid from the center of Mestia to Hatsvali.
In Mestia you can also hire horses for horseback riding.
From the central square of Mestia, minibuses depart daily at 6 am to Tbilisi and Zugdidi.
What sights of Zugdidi did you like? Next to the photo there are icons, by clicking on which you can rate a particular place.
Khobi River
The Khobi River, also known as Khobistskali, is a river near the small Georgian town of the same name. It is for the agricultural needs of the city that river water is used, in particular for irrigating fields. The urban-type settlement of Khobi received city status only 32 years ago. It develops through a tea factory and a cannery.
Thanks to the slopes of the Egris ridge in the south of the Greater Caucasus, the small Khobi River, about 150 kilometers long, was formed. The river is fed exclusively by rain. The area of the basin is 1340 square kilometers. Having descended from the mountains, the Khobi flows through the Colchis lowland, then the main tributary, the Chanistskali River, joins it on the right side. The Khobi River flows into the Black Sea.
The most popular attractions in Zugdidi with descriptions and photographs for every taste. Choose best places to visit famous places in Zugdidi on our website.
Zugdidi is a fairly young town, but located in an area with a very rich history. It is a fast-growing resort area. First of all, due to the fact that prices here are lower than in other Georgian resorts, while there is something to see and enjoy.
Climate.
There is a subtropical climate here, with fairly warm summers - about 25ºС and relatively cool winters - about 2-3ºС. The temperature practically never drops below zero. Most of it in the region occurs in the autumn.
Attractions.
- The most important and important attraction of Zugdidi is the Dadiani Palace. This is the residence of an ancient family of Megrelian princes, who were relatives of Napoleon 1 Bonaparte himself. The majestic palace was built by the architect Edgar J. Rice, and its appearance is similar to the classic castles of Europe during the Middle Ages.
- Museum located in the Dadiani Palace. The museum was founded in the 19th century and houses treasures that personally belonged to the ruler of Megrelia, David Dadiani, as well as many Georgian historical values. More than 40 thousand exhibits are stored here, the most interesting include: Napoleon's furniture, an icon of Queen Tamara, artifacts from Constantinople.
- Dadiani Botanical Garden. Its creation was personally carried out by the princess, who invited the best gardeners and acquired the rarest and most beautiful plants. The garden is located at the palace and covers an area of more than 26 hectares. Many unique plants grow here, as well as trees over 200 years old.
- Rukh fortress. It was she who at one time became the main fortification of the Mingrelians in the battle against the Abkhazians for the territory of western Georgia. The fortress is still majestic and carries through the centuries the memory of those glorious victories.
- Lake Tobavarchkhili. A place where the harmony of nature reigns. This is due to the inaccessibility of the lake; you can only get here on foot, but you will not regret if you take this walk. There is a picturesque mountain waterfall nearby.
Ways to get there.
You can get to Zugdidi by train or bus, both of these types of transport run from Tbilisi with enviable frequency. You can also use the services of private cabs or hitchhiking.
Zugdidi is a story woven into fabulous nature.
Zugdidi perfect place not only to touch unique historical relics, but also to see all the beauty that nature is capable of beautiful country Georgia!
Zugdidi (ზუგდიდი) - Big city in western Georgia, the center of the Zugdidi region, the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region and the Zugdidi-Tsaish diocese. Sounds Megrelian Zugidi(ზუგიდი) and seems to mean “Big Hill”. Now the city is home to either 72 or 75 thousand people, that is, a sixth of all Samegrelo and a seventh of the entire Mingrelian people. The Zugdidi dialect of the Megrelian language is considered to be a classic and standard dialect.
The height from the sea is about 100 meters. The distance to the capital is about 300 kilometers.
Story
The history of the city is modest. Here was the residence of the Dadiani princes and an ancient temple, there was nothing else significant. IN late XIX century, only about 1000 people lived here - around the palace. Modern Zugdidi is 99% new building, so it is not photogenic. There is nothing to photograph here except the temple and the palace.
In 1992, all three Mingrelian uprisings originated here, and accordingly, the State Council army entered here three times to suppress this uprising. In 1993, the Fourth Megrelian Uprising began immediately, and in October the State Council army entered here again. 1993 brought the city the glory of a rebellious city and the image of it as dangerous place. Even in my head this mythology lasted until 2010.
In 2008, the Russian army entered Zushdidi. Thus, tanks have become a common sight for the residents of Zugdidi, although now there is almost nothing to remind them of this.
Around town
The center of Zugdidi consists of two squares, between which the Boulevard stretches. The length of the Zugdidi boulevard is 511 meters, large shady trees grow in its center, and a few Zugdidi cafes are located right there. There is also the Odishi Hotel, post office, Atriumi cinema and city hall (on the corner with Rustaveli). The southern end of the Boulevard ends at Freedom Square (თავისუფლების მოედანი), where the administration of Samegrelo is located and around which banks are densely clustered.
The northern end of the boulevard ends in a certain square, which I conventionally call Central. Teatralnaya Street goes east from it - there is Shalva Dadiani’s Drama Theater a little further there. To the north of the square is the stadium, which is located in the very center of the city, which in itself is strange. On the western side there are several khachapurs, and an alley leads north past the stadium to the Dadiani Palace.
Konstantin Gamsakhurdia Street runs parallel to the boulevard, but there is nothing valuable on it except a restaurant.
From Freedom Square, David Agmesenebeli Street goes far to the south, which gradually turns into a highway to Kutaisi and Tbilisi.
If you go east from Freedom Square, then after 250 meters exit to Zugdidi cathedral, which seems to have not yet been completed. This is the central cathedral of the Zugdidi-Tsaish diocese.
Across the Boulevard, a little north of center, passes Rustaveli Street, which is very important in a strategic sense. It goes 1000 meters to the east and there is practically nothing to do there. To the west it descends to the Zugdidi market and shopping center, crosses the river and then after 560 meters comes to the square near the railway station. If you walk further along Rustaveli, you gradually reach the Anaklia road. From there, from Rustaveli, the so-called “Svan tower” will be visible on the right - minibuses to Svaneti live there.
Infrastructure
Tourists in Zugdidi are usually in transit. They all go to Svaneti, so if you walk along Zugdidi, then everyone understands that you are in Svaneti. It’s as if other tourists don’t exist. At the same time, there are not very many overnight stays here. There is one hostel: "Zugdidi-Hostel" for 20 lari. This hostel is unique for Georgia. This is the only Megrelian hostel in the whole country - with real Merelians as hosts. It is difficult for a casual tourist to appreciate all its exoticism, but if this is not your first time in Georgia, then you can well appreciate all its originality. The hosts themselves can tell you a lot about Mingrelian life if you ask them the right questions.
The hostel lives at Rustaveli Street, building 8. It is exactly a kilometer from Gamakhurdia Avenue along Rustaveli Street.
Restaurants in Zugdidi are few and far between. Cheap food stalls cluster around the market. For serious and interesting things, I recommend the restaurant "Diaroni" on Konstantin Gamsakhurdia Street. It is located right in the center: you need to walk a little east from the central square, turn onto Gamsakhurdia and there it will be after 80 meters on the right side. There is a lot of different food in the restaurant. For example, for 20 GEL they prepare a large bowl of satsivi - it is recommended to combine it with “elarji”. They make good coffee here too. So, for quality Mingrelian food, come here.
Bus stations
There seem to be several of them, about three. The main bus station is around railway station, which looks very little like a bus station. There is also Central Bus Station , which is located east of the Botanical Garden, at the beginning of the road to Chkhorotska. There are several regular buses from here:
To Moscow on Tuesdays (220 GEL)
In Tbilisi, every 1.5 hours, 13 GEL
To Chkhorotska, from 10:00 to 18:15, quite often, 3 GEL
In Poti, at 10:00, 5 GEL
To Rustavi - 15 lari
Station telephone: 599 357 767, 577 723 506
There is also a special space near the “Svan Tower”, from where minibuses go to Mestia. There are quite a lot of them.
Around Zugdidi
There is not much around Zugdidi. The closest is the Rukh Fortress - about seven kilometers from the city center. Anaklia is considered a resort and beach suburb, although it is 30 kilometers away. The proximity of the sea gives Zugdidi a certain resort feel. Everyone who travels to Anaklia inevitably ends up in Zugdidi.
Zugdidi is located in western Georgia, thirty kilometers from the Black Sea and is the center of the Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti region.
In Zugdidi for our big Adventure We have been to Georgia twice and both were passing through.
The first one on the way to mountainous Svaneti. Our night train from Tbilisi arrived in Zugdidi at 6-25 and we were met by the familiar taxi driver of the owner of the hotel in Svaneti, Babu (Babu means grandfather in Georgian). It was early and it was decided to postpone the inspection of the main attraction of Zugdidi - the family estate of the Mingrelian kings Dadiani - for the return trip. The road from Zugdidi to Latali (the village in Svaneti where our hotel was located) was amazing. Babu rode quietly, told a lot of stories, and overall gave us an excellent tour. My separate post is about this journey.
The return journey on the road from Svaneti to Kutaisi four days later turned out to be a little more messy than we expected. Since Babu was in a hurry, he promised to take his daughter and family to the camp site, we drove quickly and there was little time for sightseeing in Zugdidi. But we got to the estate and even visited the palace museum.
Zugdidi.
The city received the name Zugdidi from the Soviets in 1918, from which its rapid development began (Zugidi in Megrelian means big hill). Many plants and factories were built in the city, which led to a significant increase in the population subsequently up to 100,000 people. During Shevardnadze's reign, many factories were closed and looted, the population began to decrease and reached 77,000 people. Now the local population has no choice but to engage in trade and agriculture.
In the 90s, Zugdidi gained fame as a rebellious and dangerous city– All four Mingrelian uprisings, suppressed by the State Council army, originated here, and in 2008 Russian tanks entered here.
Dadiani, Zugdidi.
Until 1918, Zugdidi was called Dadi from the surname of the rulers of Megrelia, princes Dadiani. This was their residence. There were only about a thousand inhabitants at that time, they all lived around the palace and worked for the princes. Now the residence has been restored, the territory has been landscaped, and the Dadidani garden has turned into the Zugdidi Botanical Garden. The Dadiani residence consists of two palaces - the first was built in 1878 for Princess Ekaterina Dadiani, née Princess Ekaterina Chavchavadze. The Chavchavadzes are a very famous family in Georgia; I have another post about the Chavchavadzes and their family estate in Tsinandali.
The second palace was erected for her son, the last Mingrelian ruler Nikolai Dadiani.
As a result of the Russian-Turkish wars in 1866, the Principality of Mingrelian was abolished, and Nikolai Dadiani, as compensation for the renunciation of sovereign rights to the lands of Mingrelian, received from Russia a million rubles and the honorary title of Most Serene Highness Prince of Mingrelian. The residence in Zugdidi remained the property of Dadiani.
Dadiani Palace, Zugdidi.
The first palace houses a museum founded in 1849 by Nicholas' father David. It is forbidden to take photographs in the palace, so I will briefly describe what we saw - weapons of the Middle Ages, part of a treasure from the 1st millennium BC, a golden antique mask, an icon of the mother of the Georgian Queen Tamara (12th century), works of painting and other things related with the life of Dadiani.
The culmination of all Dadiani's treasures is one of Napoleon's three death masks. After Nikolai Dadiani abdicated the throne, his sister Salome and mother left for Paris. In 1868, Salome married the grandson of Napoleon's sister Caroline and the Neapolitan king, Marshal of Bonaparte Murat's troops, Prince Achille Charles Louis Napoleon Murat (you can't pronounce it so easily). Soon the newlyweds moved to Georgia, to the Zugdidi palace, where Murat took up winemaking and even restored the ancient Ojaleshi grape variety. The prince brought with him to Georgia some relics of the Banaparte house, including the sword of the young Napoleon, a bookcase, a desk, two armchairs and one of the emperor’s three death masks.
If you have time, you should definitely pay attention to the park area of the palaces. It is very well-groomed and beautiful, because the garden was created by famous European gardeners invited by Ekaterina Dadiani in the mid-19th century. Catherine then brought many rare plants from the border. Now on the site of the park is the Zugdidi Botanical Garden.
The park was partially destroyed many times: in 1856, when the Turks entered the estate; during the period of Soviet power. A lot of relict plants were lost. Much credit for the restoration of the garden belongs to the first director of the museum, Akaki Chanturia, who is still sitting on a bench in this wonderful park.
Blachernae icon.
Interesting to see on the territory of the complex is the cathedral church of the Blachernae Mother of God, built in 1830. The Emperor of All Rus' Alexander I himself allocated money for the construction of the temple. The Emperor also presented the temple with a copy of the Blachernae Icon. The temple also contains part of the belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary; the relics of St. George and St. John; part of the sponge from which Jesus drank vinegar on the cross, which came to Megrelia from Constantinople after its capture by the Turks in 1453.
Near the temple there is a spring with holy water.
