The city's museum network includes the Ushangi Chkheidze House-Museum and the local museum of local lore. The Zestafoni Local Lore Museum preserves historical and archaeological artefacts; its 7,000 exhibits include materials from the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages, as well as numismatics and ceramics. It opened on 3 October 1987.
Culture and History
The Ushangi Chkheidze House-Museum hosted an educational project for primary school children dedicated to promoting cultural heritage and preserving historical memory. The area around Zestafoni includes the ancient Shorapani Fortress, the Tabakini Fortress and Church, the Upper Sakara Church and the Tamar Bridge, among other sites.
The nearby Tabakini St. George Monastery dates back to the 7th–8th centuries and is characterised by its architecture and 16th-century wall paintings. Shorapani served as a trade link between western and eastern countries. Archaeological excavations at Shorapani Fortress uncovered materials that are preserved in the local museum of local lore. The fortress was built during the reign of King Parnavaz. The finds include a stone anchor and a bronze sculpture of a horseman, dated to the 6th–4th centuries BC.
Every year, the nearby village of Tskhratskaro hosts a Georgian folk song festival called Suliko. The nearby Tvevi St George Church preserves paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries.
Nature and Trails
The nearby Samtsvera Waterfall lies east of the village of Zovreti and is visited by tourists and locals in summer. The area around Zestafoni features Colchian forests with oak, beech, walnut and ash trees.
The Fersa–Tabakini trekking route runs from the village of Tabakini to Zestafoni and then continues to Tbilisi. Minibuses and taxis provide onward transport towards Zestafoni from the centre of Tabakini village.
Wine and Local Traditions
Amiran Vepkhvadze's Wine Cellar is located at 32 Paolo Iashvili Street in Zestafoni. The selection includes natural wines made from the Tsitska, Tsolikouri, Krakhuna and Otskhanuri Sapere grape varieties. The wines are naturally fermented and matured in traditional Georgian qvevri. Nearby, the wine repository of the Sakara Experimental Station stores wines made from characteristic varieties.
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