Zugdidi

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Zugdidi
ზუგდიდი
Top left:Zugdidi Tsaishi Eparchy Church, Top right:Dadiani Palace, Middle left:Zugdidi Botanical Garden, Middle right:Coat of arms in Zugdidi, Bottom:Statue of Zviad Gamsakhurdia, Bottom right:Zugdidi City Hall
Top left:Zugdidi Tsaishi Eparchy Church, Top right:Dadiani Palace, Middle left:Zugdidi Botanical Garden, Middle right:Coat of arms in Zugdidi, Bottom:Statue of Zviad Gamsakhurdia, Bottom right:Zugdidi City Hall
Zugdidiზუგდიდი is located in Georgia (country)
Zugdidiზუგდიდი
Zugdidi
ზუგდიდი
Location of Zugdidi in Georgia
Coordinates: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Country  Georgia
Mkhare Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti
Population (2013)
 • Total 75,100
Time zone Georgian Time (UTC+4)

Zugdidi (Georgian: ზუგდიდი; Mingrelian: ზუგდიდი or ზუგიდი) is a city in the Western Georgian historical province of Samegrelo (Mingrelia). It is situated in the north-west of that province. The city is located 318 kilometres west of Tbilisi, 30 km from the Black Sea coast and 30 km from the Egrisi Range, at an elevation of 100–110 metres above sea level. Zugdidi is the capital of the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region, which combines Samegrelo (Mingrelia) and upper part of Svaneti, and the center of the Zugdidi Municipality within.

The city serves as a residence of Metropolitan of Zugdidi and Tsaishi Eparchy of the Georgian Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church.

Etymology

The name "Zugdidi" (ზუგდიდი) first appears in XVII century. Literally it means "big hill" in Mingrelian language ("Zugu/ზუგუ" - hill, "didi/დიდი" - big). Alternative version of the name recorded in old sources is "Zubdidi" (ზუბდიდი) with same meaning from Megrelian. Local Georgian (Megrelian) residents of historical provinces of Megrelia and Abkhazia also uses "Zugidi" (ზუგიდი), which is a shortened form. The name was given to the town because of a hill situated in the eastern part of the city, where the some small remains of an ancient fortress are still visible.

History

Historically Zugdidi was a capital of the Principality of Mingrelia (Odishi) until 1867, when the principality was abolished by the Russian Empire. After then Zugdidi was an administrative center of Zugdidi Uyezd as a part of the Kutaisi Governorate till 1918, when it became a part of the Democratic Republic of Georgia. From 1930 the center of the Zugdidi Raion of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic and then Independent Georgia (from 1991).

File:Levan II Dadiani (2).jpg
Prince Levan II Dadiani by Teramo Castelli

Between 17-19th centuries Zugdidi was one of the important political and cultural center of Mingrelia and whole Georgia. A famous Georgian medieval epic poem The Knight in the Panther's Skin has been rewritten by Mamuka Tavakalashvili here at the court of Prince Levan II Dadiani in 1646.

File:Zugdidi, Megrelia, Georgia.jpg
Queen Palace, Zugdidi
File:Zugdidi Botanical Garden, Megrelia, Georgia.jpg
Zugdidi Botanical Garden

During the Crimean War (1853-1856) Ottoman forces with Omar Pasha seized Zugdidi in 1855. At the end of the 1855 and beginning of 1856 city was liberated by Mingrelian Militia commanded by Major General Prince Grigol Dadiani. By the order of Iskender Pasha Ottomans plundered, burnt and destroyed the whole city, especially palaces and botanical garden.[1] Many buildings were heavily damaged during the Georgian Civil War 1992-1993 as well.

In 1993 there were located an administration of first President of Georgia Zviad Gamsakhurdia and the Supreme Council of the Republic of Georgia as well.

Architecture and Landmarks

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Further information: Dadiani Palace

Architectural sights of the city are the Queen's palace and Niko's palace (now the Dadiani Palaces museum, both of the 19th century), as well as Cathedral of the Blachernae Icon of the Mother of God (1825–1830) and Mantskhvar-kari (10th–14th centuries) church. Napoleon’s death mask is on display in the Dadiani Palace Museum in Zugdidi, but the main treasure of this museum is a Holy Robe of Mary the mother of Jesus. Other notable attractions are the old Botanical Garden (Queen's Garden) and the city boulevard, planned by Prince Raphael Eristavi (19th c. as well) and the Cathedral of Iverian Theotokos (under construction).

Shalva Dadiani Zugdidi State Academic Drama Theater

The first performance - Molière's Le médecin malgré lui (The Doctor Despite Himself) was staged in 11 April 1869 by Anton Purtseladze. The Drama Theater was founded in 1932. in 1959 the Theater was named after famous Georgian novelist and a theater actor Shalva Dadiani (1874-1959).

Botanical Garden

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Main article: Zugdidi Botanical Garden

Zugdidi Botanical Garden was established in 19th century by the Prince of Mingrelia David Dadiani and Queen Ekaterine, near the residential palaces. Currently the garden is a branch of Tbilisi Central Botanical Garden and administered by the Georgian Academy of Sciences. The garden covers 26 hectares.

Dadiani Palaces Museum and Cathedral of Blachernae St. Virgin Icon
Dadiani Palaces Museum and Cathedral of Blachernae St. Virgin Icon

Demography and Population

Historically Zugdidi is known as distinctly mono-ethnic city with vast majority of Georgians. By 2002 state census 98,97% (166 039) of total population (167 760) were ethnic Georgians (for both city and municipality).[2]

In the second half of 1850's, due to the short Ottoman occupation, town population decreased from 2000 to 800.

1950-1970's were important period for Zugdidi development, which affected the growth of population, while the last 20 year growth is mainly war-caused. After the Russian-Georgian war in Abkhazia (1992-1993) high amount of Internally Displaced Peoples from Abkhazia were forced to move Zugdidi. As a result of this, according to the 2002 state census, Zugdidi became the fifth most populous city in Georgia, ahead of Sokhumi, Poti and Gori.

Historic population for Zugdidi:[3]

File:Zugdidi City Map.jpg
Zugdidi city map
Year Total Male Female
1851 2 000 --- ---
1863 800 --- ---
1886 1 078 --- ---
1897 3 407 2 129 1 278
1917 4 000 --- ---
1922 4 525 --- ---
1926 5 577 2 843 2 734
1939 15 062 7 394 7 668
1959 31 081 14 119 16 962
1970 39 896 18 610 21 286
1979 45 170 20 988 24 182
1989 50 022 23 551 26 471
2002 68 894 --- ---
2012 64 600 --- ---

Education

Zugdidi is a regional center of education. Institutes of higher education are:

File:Theatre(Zugdidi).jpg
Shalva Dadiani Drama Theater
File:Train Station Zugdidi.JPG
Zugdidi Railway Station
File:Zugdidi Church, Megrelia, Georgia - ზუგდიდი.jpg
the Cathedral of the Blachernae Icon of the Mother of God
  • Shota Meskhia State Teaching University[4] – the main institution of higher education founded in 2007 on the basis of Zugdidi Branch of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Zugdidi Professional Lyceum and Senaki Agro-economic College. The University has three faculties of Humanitarian, Business Administration and Law and Health.
  • Zugdidi Teaching University European Academy,[5] founded in 1991

Besides this Zugdidi has 13 public and 3 private schools, as well as kindergartens.

Library tradition in Zugdidi dates back to the reign of Prince (Mtavari) David Dadiani (1812-1853) of Mingrelia, who collected a large number of handwritten and printed books. The first public library in Zugdidi was established in 1887. After this, in 1899 new reading-room was rearranged, which turned into library in 1912 with its own building.[6] Currently the library is called Zugdidi City Municipal Library.

Annual events

File:Vlaqernoba 2012.JPG
Vlakernoba in 2012

Vlakernoba

The main annual event in Zugdidi is Vlakernoba (Georgian: ვლაქერნობა - The day of the Blachernae's Virgin Mary) - an Orthodox Christian feast celebrated every year, on July 15. On this day the robe of the Blessed Virgin Mary is taken from the Tower of Virgin of the Queen Palace (now museum), where it is kept, to the Cathedral of the Blachernae Icon of the Mother of God. During the feast thousands of the faithful from all over the world are able to venerate the holy relic upon the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy.

From 2012, during the event, the holy robe was carried into the new cathedral of Iverian Theotokos. Vlakernoba is celebrated since 1990's.

Zugdidoba

Zugdidoba (Georgian: ზუგდიდობა - the day of Zugdidi) is a newly reestablished public festival, featuring various cultural, sport and educational events in Zugdidi, mostly in October. The festival is managed both by Zugdidi Municipal City Hall and Zugdidi Municipality Government.

Sports

Football

Notable citizens

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.(Georgian)
  2. ↑ Georgian Census for 2002
  3. ↑ Russian Empire and Soviet Census for 1897, 1926, 1939, 1959, 1970, 1979, 1989 (Russian)
  4. ↑ [1]
  5. ↑ [2]
  6. ↑ [3]

External links


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