The old Svan house is a traditional machub dwelling where people and livestock wintered under one roof: the hearth in the centre, wooden benches around it, the byre in the same building. Inside, the utensils, the tools and the carved details show how Svan daily life was arranged. A house like this explains the local architecture better than any account of the towers.
The house stands in Majvdieri, a village in the Mestia municipality, east of Mestia in the Enguri valley. Around it are mountains, stone towers and yards scattered across the slopes. The place is high in the mountains and the drive is part of the impression.
The visit takes half an hour. Come in the warm season, from late spring to early autumn; in winter the road and the weather are unpredictable. It is worth arranging the visit in advance through locals or a guide.
Tips
- Plan the trip for summer, in winter the road can be closed
- Ask about the hearth and the layout, that is what sets a Svan house apart
- Combine the visit with the towers and the museum in Mestia
How to get there
- East from Mestia along the Enguri valley, about twenty minutes by car
- Roughly four hours from Zugdidi along the road via Jvari and Khaishi
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