Museums of Samegrelo
and Zemo Svaneti

Dadiani Palaces Historical and Architectural Museum

The museum complex includes: palaces of the Samegrelo (West Georgia) queen Ekaterine Chavchavadze-Dadiani and Prince Niko Dadiani, court church, and the botanic garden (60-90-ies of the XIX c., architects: G. Rais and L.Vasiliev). In 1850-ies, Prince David Dadiani organized a museum in the palace, where weredisplayed discovered during accidental excavations unique numismatic materials from the Archaeopolis (Samegrelo region, present day village Nokalakevi), theantique period town, as well as Dadiani family collections of medieval European armor and weapons, ethnographic objects, and fine art. At the present in the museum are kept: samples of the I c. B.C. – XIX A.D. goldsmith works (icons, various religious objects, fine art samples); archaeological materials representingantique period Greek and Georgian culture; collection of Christian sacred objects, samples of European applied art (of Boulet, Rococo, Empire styles); relics of Samegrelo princes, royal families of France (numerous items connected with the Napoleon Buonaparte, from Ashil Miurat – Son in law of David Dadiani), Russia, Spain; XV-XIX c.c. manuscripts and charters; libraries of Napoleon (6.000 items) and Dadiani family; samples of European and Asian weapons; collection of paintings of Russian peredvizhniks, French painters of battle-pieces, and English painters of seascapes; rich collection of photographs (5.000 items); collection of crystal, china and faience crockery (French, German, Russian, etc.), etc. The museum funds: 44 475 items. Branch: Iona Meunargia House Museum (Tsaishi village).