We first realized how deeply religious Georgians are when riding on public transportation. Almost every person on board our first marshrutka (shared minibus) made the sign of the cross each time we passed a church. We often couldn’t even see a church, but they all seemed to know one was there.
We continued to notice it on every bus, marshrutka and taxi that we took as we travelled throughout the country. An interesting point is that Orthodox Georgians make the sign of the cross right to left, whereas Roman Catholics do it left to right. They also do it 3 times in a row.
Since it is an important part of their culture, we wanted to see where it all began, so we travelled to the country’s first capital, Mtskheta. At the time Georgia was called the Kingdom of Iberia, and Mtskheta was its capital from the 3rd century BCE to the 5th century AD. It was there that the country adopted Christianity as the state religion in the year 326. That’s almost 80 years before Rome, and only 25 years after Armenia. Before this, Georgians were pagans.
You can read about Armenia’s first cathedral in our post How To Visit Etchmiadzin and Zvartnots Cathedrals.
Early in the 4th century, St Nino was a young woman who travelled from Cappadocia to Georgia, intent on bringing Christianity to the region. She carried with her a cross made from grape vines, tied together with her hair. On her way across the country, she preached Christianity and developed quite a following. When St. Nino arrived in Mtskheta, she was able to convert the Georgian Queen to Christianity by healing her illness. Then, St. Nino converted the queen’s husband, King Mirian III, by curing his sudden blindness. Soon after, the king declared the entire kingdom to be Christian.
Today most citizens follow the Georgian Orthodox Church which is a part of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
As you would expect, there are several historic churches and monasteries in Mtskheta that relate to this early history. The historical religious sites we visited in Mtskheta are collectively listed in UNESCO World Heritage Sites which gave us even more incentive to visit them.
Jvari Monastery
The most important site near Mtskheta is Jvari Monastery. Standing on the top of a small hill above the confluence of two rivers is a revered site in Georgian Orthodoxy. It was on this hill that St. Nino, the missionary, placed a wooden cross over a pagan sanctuary in the 4th century. Jvari translates in English to Cross.
Even though the cross was planted in the 4th century, it wasn’t until the 6th century that a church was built on this site. A few years later, a monastery was established, and a second church was built. This one we constructed around St. Nino’s cross. At the time, the monastery faced many threats from adversaries, so the complex was fortified by a stone wall. The first church and wall are mostly in ruin, but the second church is still standing.
These first two churches were built in the shape of a cross and would set the style for all future Georgian churches. From the outside, Jvari Monastery’s stone walls show its age, but a few decorative elements can still be seen.
Inside the small stone room, there are a few framed pictures and shrines around the edge. The wooden and metal beams holding it up hide most of its historic details, though. It’s also quite dark inside. There are only a few slit windows, so candles provide most of the light. An engraved wooden cross stands in the centre, and is said to be set inside the stone base of the first cross planted by St. Nino.
From the ridge beside the church you have a wonderful panorama where you can appreciate Mtskheta’s perfect setting at the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtkvari Rivers. (Mtkvari is known as Kura River in Turkey.)
Entry is free and you are allowed to take pictures inside. It is one of the most visited tourist sites outside Tbilisi, so is very busy.
How to reach Jvari Monastery
Most visit the monastery on a tour from Tbilisi. We wanted to explore other places in the area, so we went on our own and took a marshrutka to Mtskheta (see below for details). From the city centre, it’s easy to take a Bolt or taxi up to the monastery. We arranged for our driver to wait for us and return to the city for only 25 GER (€8). Although it is close to Mtskheta, it’s not easy to walk because you have to cross the river and the highway.
Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
Situated in the middle of the city, a large stone wall prevents you from seeing much of this complex from the outside. Once you walk through the gate, however, you can’t help but be impressed by the large stone church in its park like setting.
Surrounding the monastery grounds is a tall wall with bell and watchtowers. In between the wall and cathedral is a peaceful park with a manicured lawn, olive trees and a few rose beds. From the grounds, you can see Jvari Monastery, high up on a hill.
At the centre of the yard is the second largest cathedral in Georgia. Although Svetitskhoveli Cathedral has a lot of plain stone, you can still find a few old accents on the walls and around the windows. Its multileveled roof also gives it a lot of character.
There are two legends related to the church. The first tells the tale of the king cutting off the architect’s hand to ensure he wouldn’t design a more beautiful building. One of those carvings is said to be of that dismembered hand grasping a chisel.
Located in the country’s first capital, Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, had an important place in Georgia’s history. This cathedral was the coronation and burial site of many kings, including King Erkele II. You can see the kings’ grave markers on the cathedral floor. Today, it is the headquarters for the Georgian Orthodox Church.
The original cathedral was built in the 4th century, but the current building is from the early 11th. Inside, the old, tall walls look like they have many stories to tell. You can still see a few remnants of the old frescoes, but most were destroyed over the centuries.
In the centre are two old shrines, covered in weathered frescoes. This is where the second legend comes into play. In the 1st century, a man from Mtskheta travelled to Jerusalem, where he found or purchased a tunic worn by Jesus at his crucifixion. When the man returned to Mtskheta, his sister was gravely ill. He showed her the tunic, she clutched it and passed away soon after. Apparently, even in death, her hands wouldn’t let go of the robe, so she was buried with it. From her grave, a Lebanese cedar tree grew. Three centuries later, when a church was built on this site, they cut down this cedar and cut it into pillars. One of those pillars extruded a sap that is said to have cured various diseases. Therefore, the name of the church, Svetitskhoveli, translates to Living Pillar.
One of these old shrines is said to contain Jesus’ tunic. This makes it a very important pilgrimage site for Orthodox Christians.
There is also a ceramic foot that apparently houses a bone from the foot of St. Andrew the Apostle. Even though St. Nino is credited for making Christianity the country’s official religion, many came before her to spread the word. St. Andrew is considered the first preacher of Christianity in Georgia, making this a very sacred relic.
Entry is free but it is not open to tourists during services which are held Sat and Sun 9am -1pm.
Tip – The dress code is strictly enforced. Women must wear a long skirt/dress and cover their hair. Men must have their legs covered and not wear a hat. Scarves are available to borrow at the entrace. Flash photography is not allowed.
Samtavro Convent
On the edge of the city is another interesting site. While the current buildings are from the 11th century, the convent dates back to the 4th century when St. Nino stayed on these grounds.
It is an active convent so we didn’t explore the grounds too much, but we could see its old wall and bell tower. Near one of the old chapels is a reproduction of the cross that St. Nino carried. It is often called the Georgian Cross.
Entrance is free, but the dress code is enforced and pictures are not allowed inside.
Shio Mgvime Monastery
Located in the hills outside the city is a monastery with a long history. In the 6th century, a hermit monk named Shio was living in a cave in the limestone wall. Shio was one of the 13 Assyrian Fathers who came to Georgia in the 6th century to spread Christianity. Eventually, other monks joined him, and a monastery was founded. You can still see many caves in the canyon walls behind the complex. One is a cave shrine dedicated to Shio, but it is closed to visitors.
We visited other monasteries established by the 13 Assyrian Fathers when we were in Kakheti. You can read about those in our post Touring Kakheti’s Historic Monasteries.
Below the caves are a number of buildings that have been added to the monastery over the centuries. The first church built in the monastery was Church of John the Baptist (6th century). It is closed to visitors.
At the top of the complex is the large St. Mary’s Assumption Cathedral. It was originally built in the 11th century, but rebuilt in the 17th. Its interior is much different than others in the area. The walls and long barrel ceiling are decorated with newly restored frescoes.
We visited on a Sunday and the nave was full of worshippers. As we witnessed in Romania and Bulgaria, parishioners stand during worship rather than sit, as we are accustomed. We listened as the priests read prayers while others sang in response.
Getting to Shio Mgvime Monastery
The monastery is located 11 km from Mtskheta. It’s a nice drive through the pretty foothills to reach the monastery. If you don’t have a car, the easiest way to visit is by Bolt or taxi from Mtskheta. We ended up hiring the taxi driver who took us to Jvari Monastery. He added another 25 GEL (€8) to continue to Shio Mgvime Monastery and return, which we think was a fair price.
Mtskheta
The city of Mtskheta itself is quite cute. The streets closest to the cathedral are quite touristy, but the rest of the city is very pleasant and worth spending a little time exploring. There are several restaurants, some along the river with a view of Jvari Monastery above.
Getting to Mtskheta
Most people only visit Jvari Monastery, and do so on a tour. But it’s very easy to visit all of these sites on a day trip from Tbilisi on your own. Marshrutkas leave from beside Didube Metro Station in Tbilisi. They run regularly, approximately every 15 minutes.
You could also take a train from Tbilisi Central Train Station. They leave at 9 am, but only travel Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
You can find Mtskheta in the centre of the map near Tbilisi. It is an interactive map, so you can zoom-in, or click on a marker to find a link to our post from that region.
Click on the link to read our Travel Tips For Georgia.
To read more of our adventures in Georgia, click here.
Coming Next – Driving The Georgian Military Road To Stepantsminda
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