NODAR DUMBADZE HOUSE MUSEUM

An authentic Gurian "oda" house in the village of Zenobani — the place where "I, Grandma, Iliko and Ilarion" was written.

Want to visit the place where the legendary "I, Grandma, Iliko and Ilarion" was written? In the village of Zenobani near Chokhatauri, the writer’s grandfather’s oda house is waiting for you. This is not just a museum — it is a place where the real Guria comes alive: with its wooden houses, mountain views, and the wonderful humor that brought Nodar Dumbadze worldwide acclaim.

The Nodar Dumbadze House Museum is a traditional Gurian "oda" — a wooden house built on tall stone pillars. This kind of architecture is characteristic of Guria so the home stays dry and ventilated.

This house belonged to the writer’s grandfather. Nodar moved here as a child after his parents fell victim to Soviet repressions. It was the neighbors and relatives here who inspired the writer to create his most famous characters.

Inside the museum you will find the writer’s personal belongings — his desk, pen, and manuscripts; an authentic interior with old Gurian furniture and objects that seem to step right out of his books; and the courtyard and surroundings, whose landscape is unchanged — the same greenery and mountain views Zurikela once saw.

This is the best place to understand how the everyday life of a small Gurian village became literature of global importance.

Interesting fact

Did you know? Dumbadze’s famous characters — Iliko and Ilarion — are not entirely invented. They were real people who lived next door to the writer in Zenobani. Some objects preserved in the museum belonged to those very people, creating a direct link between the text and reality.

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The oda house with the mountains in the background — authentic Gurian exterior.

NODAR DUMBADZE HOUSE MUSEUM

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