Jvari Monastery – Mtskheta – Chateau Mukhrani

Merging of Aragvi and Kura - Svetitskhoveli Cathedral - Wine tasting in Château Mukhrani

Jvari Monastery and the merger of Argvi and Kura

Mtskheta is the first settlement of Kartli tribes and the place of the beginning of the history of Georgia. A place where love for our land and homeland was born. Mtskheta became the first city to unite Eastern and Western Georgia under the first state flag back in the 3rd century BC. This is the place that became the key to the adoption of the state religion of Christianity and where all the holiest relics have accumulated.

In the IV century A.D., St. Nino came here and brought a cross of grapevine tied with its scythe. Nino, originally from Capadocia, grew up in Jerusalem at the temple and was sent by the Virgin to Georgia to bring Christianity to the land where Chiton Christ had been buried for 4 centuries.

The first place to visit is one of the most famous mergers thanks to M. Lermontov – the merger of Aragvi and Kura (Mtkvari). We will tell you how people lived here before Christianity and what caused the mass adoption of a new religion on this earth. The temple of Jvari was founded here already in the 6th century AD as the first domed temple in the history of architecture of Georgia. Here the first Autocephaly was adopted at the end of the 5th century. The cross over the cross is the main shrine of this place. The temple has been protected by UNESCO since 1994. One of the most beautiful viewpoints near Tbilisi on the Armazi gorge or the Kura River.

Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. Away is Jvari Monastery

After initiation into the History of this holy place, we will go to the Cathedral of Svetitskhoveli, where the relics of St. Sidonia, which has held in its hands since the 1st century A.D. Heaton Christ, rest. Heaton was brought by Rabbi Elios (brother of Sidonia) after the crucifixion of Christ. This fact became the basis of this holy place and a marker for the adoption of Christianity. In addition, Georgia is the first part of the Mother of God. Therefore, in the 1st century A.D., instead of herself, the Virgin sends Andrew the First-Called, who could not leave a strong basis for the spread of Christianity. The second attempt of the Mother of God with the message of St. Nino was successful and since then Christianity has been an important part of Georgian life.

We will tell you how it happened on the spot. We will show the tomb of the Bagration dynasty, who are considered the guardians of the Heaton Christ.

A walk around the city of Mtskheta is a pleasant time where you will immerse yourself in the aura of the ancient trading city. Here and now you can buy various souvenirs, churchkhelu, wine, spices and different things to remember Georgia.

Another place that cannot be avoided is the Samtavro temple. The place of settlement since IV thousand BC. Here was the residence of the Georgian kings from where the name of the place goes. In the fourth century, when St. Nino came to the city of Mtskheta, she settled in this place. There is a blackberry bush, which became a refuge for a young missionary. In the 11th century, a large temple was built here, which since then has been a convent named after St. John. Nino. In 2014, St. Gabriel Urgebadze was reburied in the temple, whose relics flow myrrh and give blessing to all parishioners.

Samtavro convent.

Having visited such holy places, we propose to move to the place where the winery was born in the 19th century by a descendant of the Bagration dynasty Ivan Batonishvili-Bagration Mukhransky. This Château Mukhrani is the first Château in Georgia, which began to bottle wine and send it for export, including to the Imperial table.

Chateau has several tasting packages that you can choose from when booking a tour.

Here you can have lunch, hold a master class of cooking churchkhela, bread, chacha, wine tasting and spend a wonderful time in a manor in nature surrounded by forests and vineyards.

The cost of the tour includes:

• guide
• Transport by route
• Booking a visit to the Chateau

The price does not include:

• Your selected tasting package in the Chateau
• Master classes at Chateau

The cost of tastings in Chateau from 50 GEL min. the number of 4 people.

The cost of the tour:

• Toyota Highlander business class – up to 2 people – $190
• Mercedes V -class up to 6 people - $200
• Mercedes Sprinter up to 15 people – $300
• Maybach – up to 6 people – $350