 Dadiani Palace in Zugdidi | ||
| Zugdidi, ზუგდიდი, Zugdidi, ზუგიდი (Zugidi) | ||
| Region (Mchare) | Mingrelia-Upper Svaneti | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 75.900 | |
other value for residents on Wikidata: 42998   | ||
| height | 100 m | |
| no tourist info on Wikidata: | ||
| location | ||
| ||
Zugdidi (Georg. ზუგდიდი, English legend Zugdidi; Mingrelian ზუგიდი / Zugidi) is the capital of the Georgian administrative region (Mchare) Mingrelia-Upper Svaneti. The city on the left bank of the Enguri is the fifth largest city in Georgia with 76,000 inhabitants and an important transit point on the way to Upper Svaneti and Abkhazia.
background
Zugdidi was first mentioned under this name (Surgdidi, dt. "Big hill") at the beginning of the 17th century, but the city has existed for much longer, as a domed church from the second half of the 14th century attests to. Until 1803 the city was a center of the west Georgian principality of Mingrelia, the Dadiani family built a palace from 1860 onwards. In the 20th century Zugdidi was mainly characterized by the food processing industry. With the Abkhazia conflict from 1991, many Georgian refugees came to Zugdidi from the Gali and Ochamtschire regions.
getting there
Important note regarding Abkhazia: Zugdidi is only 10 km from Abkhazia. The breakaway republic is de facto independent, but this is not accepted by the Georgian authorities. Entry to Abkhazia is possible (see there), but transit is strictly prohibited on the part of Georgia! Since no “real” Georgian passport control is carried out at the Abkhazian-Georgian border (but you have to show your passport at the police station), the transit from Russia via Abkhazia to Georgia or vice versa is punished by the Georgian authorities as an illegal border crossing, which leads to horrific fines can lead to incarceration. Anyone who travels to Abkhazia must obtain ruble cash in Zugdidi at the latest, there is no exchange option at the border, credit and debit cards do not work in the breakaway province!
By plane
A few years ago there were plans to develop the small airfield west of the city into a real airport, but it never got that far. Therefore, the nearest airports with scheduled services are in Batumi and Kutaisi, alternatively also in Tbilisi and Trabzon, to find. The Abkhazian airport Sukhumi (Babuscharia / Dranda) would offer connections to Russia, but this cannot be used from Zugdidi (see note above)!
By train
Zugdidi train station is about 1 km west of the city center on Kuji Street.
There are three daily train pairs Tbilisi-Zugdidi, which among other things also in Gori, Rioni (Kutaisi), Samtredia and Senaki hold. (from Tbilisi 7:30, 8:50, 21:10; to Zugdidi 1:50, 17:25 and 6:30 in the morning; back from Zugdidi 9:55, 17:55, 21:30; to Tbilisi 18:20 , 23:45, 6:35 the next day). The pair of trains 698/697 runs directly from Kutaisi. Current timetable
The railway line from Zugdidi to Abkhazia is interrupted.
By bus
The bus station is located on Kuji Str. Opposite the train station, from there minibuses run several times a day (Marshrutkas) to Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Batumi as well as in all larger places in the area, as well as after Upper Svaneti.
In the street
- From Tbilisi and Kutaisi follow the trunk road ს 1 Samtredia out until after Senaki, then turn right (continue to ს 1), the street leads directly through the center of Zugdidi.
- From Batumi and the Turkey take the ს 2 over the potentiometer until shortly Senaki and turn left onto ს 1.
- From Zugdidi the regional road შ 7 leads to Mestia in Upper Svaneti as well as the შ 8 to the seaside resort Anaklia at the Black Sea.
- The only "border crossing" between central Georgia and Abkhazia is located 10 km north of Zugdidi on the trunk road ს 1, but the Enguri Bridge is not allowed to be crossed by car. It's best to take a taxi and cross the border on foot. Travel advice too Abkhazia Please note!
By boat
Of Potentiometer, about 80 km from Zugdidi, ships of the shipping company keep going Ukrferry into ukrainian Chornomorsk (formerly Illitschiwsk; at Odessa). Passengers and cars can be taken along.
mobility
Urban buses and marshrutkas run within Sugdidis, but the center is small enough to get around on foot.
Tourist Attractions
- Dadiani Palace and Botanical Garden. The Dadiani princes built a palace with a court church and a botanical garden between 1860 and 1890. The builder was Achille Napoleon, a grandson of Napoleon's sister Caroline Bonaparte, who married the daughter of the last Mingrelian ruler, Salome Dadiani, in 1868.
- History and Folklore Museum. The city's history and folklore museum has presented over 41,000 items from the Dadiani Palace holdings since 1921. Among them are a death mask of Napoleon, a picture of the French emperor, weapons, coats of arms, furniture, dishes and books. It also contains the Virgin Mary's robe, which was kept in the Imperial Treasury of Constantinople until 1453. The relic was kept in an Orthodox monastery near Zugdidi until 1921, when the Communist Party moved it to the Dadiani Palace.
- Zugdider Cathedral. Built 1825-1830.
- Zugdider Ghvtisschobli Church
- Zviad Gamsakhurdia Avenue. A wide boulevard in the city center with a green median, where there are also monuments and cafes, is ideal for strolling.
Surroundings
- Ruchi castle ruins (რუხის ციხე, Rukhis Tsikhe). 18th century, 7 km north of the city just before the Abkhazian border. There is also a cemetery and a memorial to the German prisoners of war who built the bridge over the Inguri in 1946.
- 30 km north of Zugdidi on the road to Mestia At Jvari, before the Enguri enters the Colchis plain, there is the Enguri dam with the largest hydroelectric power station in the Caucasus, which is also the highest arch dam in the world.
activities
- transit to Abkhazia (Pay attention to the travel advice there!) - The best way is to take a taxi to the Enguribrücke (15 Lari) and cross it on foot.
- transit to Svaneti: Best with the night train from Tbilisi, as the marshrutkas to Mestia will be waiting in front of the station when it arrives.
- Beach vacation in Anaklia, 30 km southwest of the city
shop
- The large market is located west of the city center on Rustaveli Street
kitchen
nightlife
accommodation
Learn
The city has a Georgian-French high school that allows a French high school diploma.
Work
security
- The crime rate in Zugdidi - as in the rest of Georgia - is low
health
- In 2005 a modern heart clinic was opened.
