Mtskheta - the ancient capital of Georgia

Mtskheta – the ancient capital of Georgia today is one of the few historical sights in Georgia, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Now Mtskheta is a small town a few kilometers from Tbilisi. There are many historical and religious monuments here.

Many Christians call Mtskheta “the second Jerusalem.” And, absolutely, deservedly! It was in Mtskheta, then still in the capital of the state, that St. Nina, one of the most revered saints in Georgia, brought the good news. It is here that one of the main Christian shrines is kept - the Heaton of the Lord. And it was here that the main Christian Cathedral of all Georgia - Svetitskhoveli was preserved.

Mtskheta stands at the confluence of two rivers - Aragvi and Kura.

According to legends, the settlement of Mtskheta in ancient times was founded by King Mtsekhotos, the son of the first king Kartli, from whom all Georgians went. The name of the settlement comes from the name of this legendary king - Mtsehotos.

The capital of Georgia, Mtskheta was a little less than a thousand years, until Tsar Gorgasali in the V century did not move the capital to the city of Tbilisi, which he founded.

(A visit to the Jvari Monastery is a monastery and temple on the top of the mountain, built in the VI century, at the confluence of Kura and Aragvi, where St. Nino erected a cross.) Jvari is one of the masterpieces of architecture and the first World Heritage Site in Georgia. A visit to the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral is a cathedral of the Georgian Orthodox Church, one of the main attractions of Mtskheta. Walk through the streets of Mtskheta.

The Svetitskhoveli Cathedral is the oldest Christian cathedral in Georgia. The cathedral is a huge building, with large domes, with beautiful facades, decorated with decorative arches and skillful carvings. The temple was built in honor of 12 apostles.

The life-giving pillar is located almost in the center of the modern temple, a stone shaft is built above the pillar, which is painted with frescoes. Most of the surviving fragments of the frescoes illustrate the story of the Lord's Heaton and the Pillar itself.

Samtavro - the oldest female monastery

Samtavro is an active convent. Located in Mtskheta. Built on the site of a small wooden church built by King Mirian. The temple was repeatedly destroyed and restored. In the first half of the XI century, during the reign of George I, the temple was expanded, the southern gates were added and decorated with the original ornament.

In the temple of Samtavro there are many shrines, part of the life-giving pillar, the miraculous icon of the Iberian Mother of God, the miraculous icon of St. Nina and other relics.

Samtavro is one of the oldest female monasteries in Georgia. In this monastery and in our time services are conducted.

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