ZUGDIDI
Zugdidi
The name "Zugdidi" means "big/great hill" in Laz-Mingrelian (Colchian) language. Architectural sights of this city are Queen's palace and Niko's palace (now the Dadiani Palace museums. both of the 19th century), Blachernae St. Virgin (1825-30 y.) and Mantskhvar-kari (10th-14th centuries) Churches. There are also an old Botanical Garden (Queen's Garden) and the city boulevard.
Historically Zugdidi was a capital of principality of Mingrelia (Odishi) until 1867, when the principality was abolished by the Russian Empire. In 1993 there was an administration of first President of Georgia Zviad Gamsakhurdia.
Napoleon’s death mask is on display in the Dadiani Palace Museum in Zugdidi, but the main treasure of this museum is a Shroud of Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Samegrelo
Samegrelo/Samargalo or Megrelia, Mingrelia (Georgian: სამეგრელო Samegrelo; Mingrelian: სამარგალო Samargalo) is a historic province in the western part of Georgia, formerly also known as Odishi.
It is inhabited by the Mingrelians, an ethnic subgroup of the Georgians.
It is inhabited by the Mingrelians, an ethnic subgroup of the Georgians.
History
In ancient times Samegrelo was a major part of the kingdom of Colchis (9th-6th centuries BC) and its successor Egrisi (4th century BC-6th century AD). In the 11th-15th centuries, Samegrelo was a part of the united Kingdom of Georgia. From the 16th century to 1857, the independent Principality of Samegrelo was under the rule of the House of Dadiani.
In December 1803, the principality came under the patronage of the Russian Empire by an agreement between the Tsar and the Megrelian Prince Grigol Dadiani. The last adult Prince, David Dadiani, died in 1853, leaving his wife Ekaterine as regent for his young son, Niko. However in 1857, the principality was abolished and absorbed into the Tsarist Russian Empire. Prince Niko Dadiani officially renounced his rights to the throne in 1868.
In December 1803, the principality came under the patronage of the Russian Empire by an agreement between the Tsar and the Megrelian Prince Grigol Dadiani. The last adult Prince, David Dadiani, died in 1853, leaving his wife Ekaterine as regent for his young son, Niko. However in 1857, the principality was abolished and absorbed into the Tsarist Russian Empire. Prince Niko Dadiani officially renounced his rights to the throne in 1868.
From 1918 to 1921, Samegrelo was part of the Democratic Republic of Georgia (DRG). In 1921, Georgia was Sovietized and later became part of the Soviet Union, as the Georgian SSR. On April 9, 1991, independence was restored to Georgia, of which Samegrelo is now part.
The first President of the post-Soviet Georgia, Zviad Gamsakhurdia, was a Megrelian. After the violent coup d'etat of December 21, 1991-January 6, 1992, Samegrelo became the centre of a civil war, which ended with the defeat of Gamsakhurdia's Megrelian supporters. Even so, this region was unmanageable by the central government throughout the presidency of Eduard Shevardnadze (1992–2003). Stability in the region is further deteriorated by the fact that the Georgian refugees from the Abkhazian war zone (who are considered by Georgians as victims of ethnic cleansing) are mostly Megrelians. In 2004, following the Rose Revolution of November 2003, newly elected Georgian President, Mikheil Saakashvili, who vowed to resolve the conflict with the breakaway region of Abkhazia solely by peaceful means, disarmed groups of Megrelians who tried to fight a guerrilla war against the Abkhazians by incursions from Samegrelo.
Dadiani Palaces Museum
Dadiani Palaces Museum
Dadiani Palaces History and Architectural Museum (Georgian: დადიანების სასახლეთა ისტორიულ-არქიტექტურული მუზეუმი) is a Georgian national museum located in Zugdidi, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region, Georgia. The Dadiani Palaces History and Architecture Museum is considered to be one of the most eminent palaces in Caucasus.
History
The first exhibition, of archaeological excavations of the ancient city of Nakalakevi was prepared by Megrelian prince David Dadiani and took place in 1840.[1] Three palaces form the modern museum complex, parts of which are also Blackernae Virgin Church and Zugdidi Botanical Garden.[1] The Dadiani Palaces History and Architecture Museum houses some exhibits of natural cultural heritage of Georgia – Tagiloni treasure materials, Mother of God holy vesture, the icon of queen Bordokhan – mother of queen Tamar of Georgia, manuscripts from 13th – 14th centuries, miniatures, memorial relics of Dadiani dynasty, and objects connected to emperor of France Napoleon Bonaparte – brought to the palace by the husband of David Dadiani's daughter, prince Ashille Muratt, grandson of Napoleon's sister, Carolina.[1]
The palace was fully transformed into a museum on May 1, 1921, at the initiative of Georgian ethnographer and geologist Akaki Chanturia.
The palace was fully transformed into a museum on May 1, 1921, at the initiative of Georgian ethnographer and geologist Akaki Chanturia.
Archaeological collection
In early 1848 the prince of Samegrelo, David Dadiani, used to show his guests the archaeological and numismatic collection from Nokalakevi, an archaeological site in Samegrelo. Some of the exhibits were found by David Dadiani himself, and some were purchased by him from settlers in his domain. The most important archaeological dig by David Dadiani was the research of Nokalakevi – known as Archeopolis in Antiquity.
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