Mtskheta

მცხეთა

Georgia’s 3,000-year-old ancient capital and Orthodox holy site, home to the UNESCO-listed Svetitskhoveli Cathedral and the Jvari Monastery overlooking the confluence of two rivers, just half an hour from Tbilisi.

Mtskheta lies 20 kilometers northwest of Tbilisi, at the confluence of the Kura and Aragvi rivers. It served as the capital of the Iberian Kingdom from the 3rd century BC. In 337 AD, Georgia adopted Christianity as its state religion here, and Mtskheta remains the spiritual center of the Georgian Church. Its historic monuments were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. In the town center, Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (“Pillar of Life”) was built between 1010 and 1029. It is considered the pinnacle of 11th-century Georgian architecture. Legend holds that Christ’s robe is buried beneath one of the pillars inside. Many Georgian kings are buried here, and the cathedral is surrounded by 18th-century city walls. A 5-minute walk away is Samtavro Monastery, where St. Nino preached. On the hilltop across the river is Jvari Monastery (late 6th century, meaning “cross”), the earliest cross-in-dome church in Georgia. From here, you can look down on the confluence of two rivers of different colors and the whole town of Mtskheta. This is the scene described in Lermontov’s long poem “The Novice,” and it is one of Georgia’s most iconic viewpoints. A round-trip taxi from town costs about 30–40 lari, as there is no public transport to the monastery. The pedestrian street in town has wine shops, churchkhela stalls (walnut candy on a string) and lobiani (bean-filled bread) stands. All churches are free to enter, and visitors must cover their heads and wear long trousers or a long skirt. Getting there: a minibus from Didube Station in Tbilisi takes about 30 minutes (around 2–3 lari, frequent departures), or a taxi takes about 30–40 minutes and costs 30–40 lari. Half a day is enough. It’s often combined with a trip along the Georgian Military Highway to Kazbegi, since Jvari Monastery sits right beside the highway.

Mtskheta

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