Scattered throughout the fertile lands of Georgia’s wine country, are several medieval monasteries that played an important role in Georgia’s history. Each has a unique, picturesque setting and a fascinating story to match. We visited five of the Georgian Orthodox monasteries in Kakheti. Let us introduce you to these extraordinary buildings.
Three of the monasteries we visited in Kakheti are related to the 13 Assyrian monks who travelled to Georgia in the 6th century to preach Christianity. These venerated monks are credited with bringing the ideals of monastic life to Georgia by establishing several monasteries and hermitages in the country. While the country had already been declared a Christian state by King Mirian III two hundred years earlier, Christianity was still not widely spread across Georgia. You can read about King Mirian III in our post Georgia’s First Capital Mtskheta and Jvari Monastery.
In Kakheti we visited Ikalto, Alaverdi and Nekresi Monasteries. All three are located a short drive from Telavi. As well, you may remember Shio Mgvimeli in Mtskheta. It was also established by an Assyrian monk. Another one to keep in mind if you travel to Kakheti is David Gareji Monastery. It is not far from Telavi, but due to its location on the Georgia-Azerbaijan border, a large section is closed to visitors, so we didn’t visit.
Ikalto Monastery
Only a few kilometres outside Telavi is the fortified Ikalto Monastery. The buildings we see today were built from the 8th to 13th centuries, but the monastery’s beginnings are much earlier. It was established in the 6th century by the Assyrian monk Zenon of Ikalto.
The main building, Church of the Transfiguration, was under renovation when we arrived, so we could only wander around the grounds. It’s too bad, because it is a wonderful old church with a multileveled roof and rustic stone walls. The current building dates back to the 8th century, and was built atop the original church where St. Zenon was buried.
The monastery was badly damaged by Persian forces in the 17th century. After rebuilding, it was then was closed by the Soviets. Work has only recently begun to restore the buildings.
The monastery is referred to as Ikalto Academy by locals because it housed an esteemed school for a couple of hundred years during the Middle Ages. Famous Georgian poet Rustaveli studied there in the 12th century. Our taxi driver didn’t know it as Ikalto Monastery, only as Ikalto Academy. You can wander through the ruins of the old school, located on the edge of the monastery grounds.
The school had subjects in many disciplines including wine making. A common site at all of these monasteries were earthenware wine vessels called qvevris. At this site, several were scattered on the lawn.
There are two other chapels on the site, but neither were open to visitors.
In 2025 it is free to enter. There is currently no dress code.
Alaverdi Monastery
Soaring high above a long, stone wall is a stately looking church. As with Ikalto monastery, Alaverdi is also fortified, but this wall has watchtowers and a crenellated top, making it look more like a rampart around a castle than a monastery. With the Caucasus Mountains providing a backdrop, you can’t help but be impressed by the monastery’s setting.
A monastery was first established here by Ioseb (Joseph) Alaverdeli in the 6th century. He was one of the 13 Assyrian monks. The original building was replaced in the 11th century by the large St. George Cathedral, so while it’s not original, it is still very old. At 50m high, St. George Cathedral at Alaverdi was the tallest in Georgia until Holy Trinity was built in Tbilisi.
The exterior walls have very few adornments, only blind arches with no decorations, as we’ve seen in other cathedrals. Unfortunately, the large church was wrapped in scaffolding, so we couldn’t see much of its outer walls. It was being repaired after sustaining damage from a bad storm, possibly a tornado, in 2024.
Inside the fortified wall, the large St. George Cathedral takes up most of the space, but there are still a few other pieces to see. Within the complex are the ruins of previous monastic buildings as well as the current monastery. It is an active monastery, so this section is closed to visitors.
In front of the cathedral, is an old cemetery. It was the burial place for the royal family of Kakheti in medieval times.
As with all Georgian monasteries, they produce wine and even have a small vineyard. But, you’ll find something unique to Georgia at this monastery: an olive grove. A 16th century olive press was discovered on the grounds, so to honour this tradition, olive trees were planted in 2010.
After wandering around the grounds, it’s time to check out the main attraction, St. George Cathedral. Its main entrance is stunning. A beautifully carved wooden door is framed by dark frescoes. The 16th century painting on the tympanum depicts St. George, the patron saint of Georgia, slaying a two headed dragon.
Inside though, only a few frescoes remain, and most of the tall, stone walls are bare. Russian authorities whitewashed them in the 19th century, and work to uncover them has only recently begun.
As we saw in most Georgian Orthodox churches, icons of saints hang from the tall pillars. Parishioners were lighting candles and placing them in holders at their bases.
Entrance is free, but they enforce a strict dress code. Women must wear a long skirt/dress and cover their hair. Men must wear pants and not wear a hat. There are scarves and over-pants available at the door. It’s open daily from 10am to 7pm.
Gremi Castle and Church
We first caught a glimpse of Gremi Castle and Church from a distance. Sitting high up on a ridge above the country highway was a scene pulled from the pages of a fairytale. Even as we got closer, that impression didn’t change, and we were excited to explore it.
As a former capital of Kakheti, the Church of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel was built in 1565 by King Levan of Kakheti. Located on a medieval trade route, Gremi was once a very large community with a citadel on the hill as well as houses, chapels, bathhouses and caravansaries spread out below.
The town was demolished in 1617 by Persian invaders, but they did not destroy the church or much of the castle. The rampart surrounding them is also still largely intact, including its main gate. After this attack though, the capital was moved from Gremi to Telavi, where it remains today. You can read more about the capital city in our post What To See In Telavi.
Once we walked through the main gate, we were disappointed to see that the Church of the Archangels was completely covered in tarps and scaffolding. But our chagrin changed as soon as we stepped inside. Marvellous dark frescoes adorn almost every available space on the church’s interior stone walls. Their weathered state matches the aura we felt in this old church. Sadly, almost every face on the frescoes have been damaged. They were defaced by the Persians during their 1615 invasion.
Beside the church is Gremi Castle. It’s more of a keep than a full castle, but it has a commanding presence on top of the hill. The castle may have been built a century before the church, yet it was still used as the royal apartments until the capital was relocated.
Inside, you can climb up the narrow stairwell to the top of the keep. Only a few rooms can be accessed, the most interesting being the king’s toilet.
The best part of climbing to the top of the tower is the expansive views that lead your eyes from the bucolic lands to the tall, majestic Caucasus Mountains in the distance.
Entrance to the church is free, and is open every day. There is a 10 GEL (€3.20) fee to get inside the castle. It is open 10am to 5pm every day, except Monday.
Nekresi Monastery
Resting on a remote, forested ridge part way up Mount Nekresi, is one of our favourite monasteries. Not only does Nekresi Monastery have a gorgeous setting, but its old buildings are in surprisingly good condition, especially considering they date from the 4th to 9th centuries.
Although a church has been on this ridge since the 4th century, it wasn’t until the 6th that a monastery was established. Abibos Nekreseli, one of the 13 Assyrian monks, founded the monastery. Today, it is compact, but has a surprising number of attractive buildings. The first one you see is the most picturesque, the Church of the Archangel.
In the middle of the grounds is the oldest building, the Mortuary Chapel. Built in the 4th century, the stone building is very small, but has a deep, dark crypt below that was used for burials. That is what gave the church its name.
Across from this chapel is a large building with an attached watchtower. The most interesting part of the Bishop’s Palace is the large winery located on its lower level. Yet another indication of the long history of wine in this country.
The largest building in the monastery is the 6th century Church of the Dormition. There have been many additions to it over the centuries, so that today, the interior is divided into three separate naves. Inside each of them, you can still see the remains of 16th century frescoes on the walls. In one, a coffin is filled with skeletons of monks who once served in the monastery.
Behind the old monastery walls is an active monastery.
A village was once located on this ridge too. Its ruins are scattered through the dense forest and most have not been uncovered. According to legend, during an attack by Muslim Dagestani tribes, villagers fled to the fortified monastery for safety. They were able to defend themselves by throwing dead swine, dripping with blood, at the invaders below. The Muslims are said to have been so disgusted by the dead pigs, and their blood, that they ran away. To this day, a swine is sacrificed every January at the monastery.
Tips – Cars and taxis can not drive up the hill to the monastery, instead there is a parking lot at the base of the hill. Marshrutkas leave from here up to the entrance (3GEL). They run every 30 minutes. Some people prefer to walk, but it’s a steep road, climbing 240m in 1.5 km.
There is no entry fee to the monastery. The usual dress code is in effect to enter the Church of Dominion. Women must cover their hair and wear a skirt, men can not wear shorts, and must not wear a hat. Opening hours vary, but are generally 10am-5pm daily.
How to visit the monasteries of Kakheti
We had initially planned to take marshrutkas to visit the four monasteries. While it is possible, we soon realized that it would involve a lot of walking because many of the monasteries are located far from the main road. We ended up hiring a taxi for the day trip from Telavi. The cost to all four was 150GEL (€92) for the 109 km trip, including waiting time. You can try to book the same through Bolt, but we were never successful at reserving a ride in Telavi. There are many taxis in they city’s downtown.
As we drove between the monasteries, it seemed as if every house had a garden, but instead of vegetables and flowers they were vineyards. As well, there are a lot of wineries in the area, so you may want to combine a winery tour with your monastery visit.
You can find Telavi in the centre, right of the map below. The monasteries are a short drive from the city. 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.
Bodbe Monastery
Built on the burial site of St. Nino, Bodbe Monastery is a revered place for Georgians. The monastery is approximately 3 km from Sighnaghi in a peaceful, manicured garden with bushes, blooming flowers and Cyprus trees. The monastery includes four churches, a bell tower and holy springs, and makes a pleasant half-day trip from Sighnaghi.
You can read more about Bodbe Monastery in our post, Visiting Sighnaghi – Georgia’s Wine 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 to Tusheti in Georgia’s Remote North
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