Dadiani Palace Zugdidi: Museum, History & Travel Guide
Dadiani Palace in Zugdidi holds one of Napoleon's three death masks and a Byzantine relic. Complete visitor guide: hours, highlights, and how to get there by rental car.
Georgia has no shortage of medieval fortresses, but a genuine aristocratic palace with a world-class museum collection? There is only one. The Dadiani Palace in Zugdidi — once the seat of the Mingrelian princes — now houses one of Napoleon's three surviving death masks, a Byzantine relic said to be the Virgin Mary's veil, and tens of thousands of other artifacts. The palace deserves a dedicated trip, and a rental car is by far the most practical way to get there.
Who Were the Dadianis?
The Dadiani family is one of the oldest noble houses in Georgian history. In the 12th century, Queen Tamar granted the western region of Samegrelo to Prince Vardan Dadiani as a hereditary domain. For seven centuries, the family ruled western Georgia and built connections with the major royal courts of Europe.
What makes the Dadianis extraordinary is their link to Napoleon Bonaparte. A Mingrelian princess married Achille Murat — Napoleon's nephew. Through this marriage, Zugdidi acquired the emperor's personal belongings and one of only three bronze death masks cast in Paris in 1833.
History of the Palace
The complex has its roots in 1837, when Prince David Dadiani ordered the first palace buildings in Zugdidi. In 1849, David established the family's historical museum.
The main palace standing today was built between 1873 and 1878 for Princess Ekaterine Dadiani. Her architect, Edgar J. Rice, drew inspiration from the Vorontsov Palace in Crimea. A second palace was added in the 1880s for Ekaterine's son Niko Dadiani, the last ruling prince of Mingrelia.
After the Soviet takeover in 1921, the former royal residences became the Samegrelo State Historical and Architectural Museum. Today the collection holds over 52,000 objects from the 1st century BC through the 19th century.
What's Inside: The Highlights
Napoleon's death mask. Only three bronze casts were made in 1833, and one ended up here in Zugdidi.
The Veil of the Virgin Mary. A Byzantine relic brought to Mingrelia in the 15th century. Displayed publicly just once a year, on July 15th, during the feast of Vlakhernoba.
Icon of Queen Tamar. A relic associated with Georgia's greatest medieval ruler.
The Tagiloni Hoard. Gold and silver objects from the 1st millennium BC from the land of Colchis.
Weapons, paintings, and royal personal effects spanning European and Asian collections.
Allow at least half a day — and expect to leave feeling you didn't see enough.
The Botanical Garden
The palace sits at the heart of one of Georgia's finest botanical gardens. Princess Ekaterine Dadiani personally oversaw its design, ordering rare saplings from across Europe.
After touring the museum halls, the garden is the perfect place to slow down and take photographs.
Practical Information
Opening hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 10:00–18:00. Closed Mondays.
Tickets: Current prices on the museum's TripAdvisor page.
Guided tours: Highly recommended — local guides tell legends you won't find in books.
Address: 2 Zviad Gamsakhurdia Street, Zugdidi, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti.
Getting There: Why a Rental Car Makes Sense
Zugdidi sits roughly 340 km west of Tbilisi — about 4 to 5 hours by car on well-maintained roads.
Buses and trains both take around 6 hours, but once you arrive you'll still need a taxi to the palace. More importantly, public transport leaves most of the region unreachable.
The real case for renting a car is what lies beyond Zugdidi: the Inguri Dam nearby, Mestia around 130 km up the mountain road. Leave Tbilisi early, reach the palace by midday, push into the mountains by evening.
Car hire in Tbilisi starts at around $30 per day. Book ahead in peak season.
What Else to See in Zugdidi
A short walk from the grounds brings you into the centre for Mingrelian food — richer and spicier than typical Georgian restaurant fare in Tbilisi.
If time allows, detour to the Inguri Hydroelectric Dam — one of the largest arch dams ever built.
Is the Palace Worth a Dedicated Trip?
Yes — if you want Georgia beyond its famous trails. Dadiani Palace is where Mingrelian history, Napoleonic Europe, and Byzantine Christianity meet. And it's the perfect jumping-off point for Svaneti: by rental car from the palace to Mestia is about four hours along one of the most beautiful mountain roads in the Caucasus.
