The landscape of Svaneti is dominated by mountains that are separated by deep gorges. Most of the region which lies below 1,800 meters above sea level is covered by mixed and coniferous forests. The forest zone is made up of tree species such asspruce, fir, beech, oak, and hornbeam. Other species that are less common but may still be found in some areas include chestnut,birch, maple, pine and box. The zone which extends from 1,800 meters to roughly about 3,000 meters above sea level consists of alpine meadows and grasslands. Eternal snows and glaciers take over in areas that are over 3,000 meters above sea level. The region is notable for its glaciers and picturesque summits. Svaneti's signature peak is probably Mount Ushba which towers over the Inguri Gorge and can be seen from many parts of the region.
Entrance to the museum will be free of charge for one month from the opening.
History of Museum of Svaneti counts almost one century. After rehabilitation of the museum, exhibition halls were equipped in the modern way under the latest standards. There were created restoration laboratories and storages. Now museum has 6 permanent exposition halls. Visitors have amazing opportunity to travel inside the museum and see exponents discovered during archeological excavations and numismatic samples. Museum has special halls of Christian treasure, where visitors have opportunity to see IX-XVIII century masterpieces of world importance such as: Icon of the Forty Sebastian Martyrs, Embroidered Byzantine Icon, Venetian Cross, jug donated by Queen Tamar, earliest remaining sample of illustrated manuscript- Adishi Gospels (897) and etcetera. The last exhibition hall in the museum is dedicated to the exponents of Georgian Ethnography.
The project of rehabilitation of The Museum of History and Ethnography of Svaneti was supported by Government of Georgia and different international organizations and funds, such as: The National Commission of UNESCO in Georgia, EU Twinning Program, the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation/Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Smithsonian institution, US Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Heritage Preservation and with the help of the Italian and Swiss embassies.
The Svans are usually identified with the Soanes mentioned by Greek geographer Strabo, who placed them more or less in the area still occupied by the modern-day Svans. The province had been a dependency of Colchis, and of its successor kingdom of Lazica (Egrisi) until AD 552, when the Svans took advantage of the Lazic War, repudiated this connection and went over to thePersians. The Byzantines wanted the region, for if they secured its passes, they could prevent Persian raids on the border areas of Lazica. With the end of the war (562), Svanetia again became part of Lazica. Then, the province joined the Kingdom of Abkhazia to form a unified monarchy which was incorporated into the Kingdom of Georgia in the early 11th century. Svanetia became a duchy (saeristavo) within it, governed by a duke . The province’s Orthodox culture flourished particularly during the Georgian “golden age” under Queen Tamar , who was respected almost as goddess by the Svanetians. The legend has it that the duchy was annually visited by Tamar. The Svans had been known as fierce warriors for centuries. Their inflatable war banner was named Lemi (Lion) because of its shape.
The excellent natural conditions and the unity of architecture and landscape give this region an original quality of its own. The wealth of monumental and minor art (metal work, manuscript illustrations, textiles and embroidery, wood-carving, icon painting, ancient forms of musical and oral folklore, vernacular architecture) are of paramount importance for the study of Georgia and the Caucasus. The monumental mural painting of Svaneti is of great importance in the study of the origins and development of Georgian and eastern Christian art.
The marauding Mongols never reached Svanetia and, for a time, the region became a cultural safe house. Following the final disintegration of the Kingdom of Georgia in the 1460s, fighting broke out for controlling the province. Part of Upper Svanetia formed an independent principality under the Princes Dadeshkeliani, a branch of the Gelovani family, while Lower Svanetia, originally ruled by the Princes Gelovani, was temporarily usurped and subdued by the Mingrelian princes Dadiani. Facing serious internal conflict, Prince Tsioq’ Dadeshkeliani of Svanetia signed a treaty of protectorate with the Russian Empire on November 26, 1833. Difficult to access, the region retained significant autonomy until 1857, when Russia took advantage of the dynastic feud in Svanetia and effectively abolished the principality’s autonomy. In 1875, the Russians toughened their rule by imposing additional taxes. Protests ensued, and Russia deployed troops against the province. Despite having suffered heavy losses, the Russian army units eventually crushed the rebels burning their stronghold Khalde to the ground in 1876.
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