Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti – union of historic Mingrelia and Upper Svaneti
Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti brings together two historic Georgian provinces with very different characters: Samegrelo, or Mingrelia, in the lowlands, and Zemo Svaneti, Upper Svaneti, high in the Caucasus. Each has its own language – Megrelian and Svan – alongside Georgian, a living sign of the region’s long history.
Upper Svaneti is famous for its medieval stone defensive towers, and the villages of Ushguli and Mestia are known far beyond Georgia. Today the region, with its centre in Zugdidi, has around 308,000 inhabitants and combines subtropical plains with high mountain valleys. Share your village traditions, songs and family stories with fellow members!