Georgia’s oldest capital, Mtskheta is now considered a city museum.
Mtskheta is a city in Mtskheta-Mtianeti province of Georgia. It is one
of the oldest cities in Georgia as well as one of the oldest
continuously inhabited cities in the World. It is located
approximately 20 km (12 mi) north of Tbilisi, at the confluence of the
Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers. Currently a small provincial capital, for
nearly a millennium until the 5th century AD, Mtskheta was a large
fortified city, a significant economical and political centre of the
Kingdom of Iberia.
Due to the historical significance of the town and its several
outstanding churches and cultural monuments, the "Historical Monuments
of Mtskheta" became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. As the
birthplace and one of the most vibrant centers of Christianity in
Georgia, Mtskheta was declared as the "Holy City" by the Georgian
Orthodox Church in 2014.
The historic churches of Mtskheta, former capital of Georgia, are
outstanding examples of medieval religious architecture in the
Caucasus. The Historical Monuments of Mtskheta are located in the
cultural landscape at the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtkvari Rivers.
Three of Mtskheta’s churches are part of the UNESCO World Heritage
List: Jvari Church, Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, and Samtavro Church.
Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (11th century), Samtavro Monastery (4th
century) and Jvari Monastery (6th century) in Mtskheta are amongst the
most significant monuments of Georgian Christian architecture, and are
historically significant in the development of medieval architecture
throughout the Caucasus. Of special significance are early
inscriptions, which form a valuable reference in the study of the
origins of the early Georgian alphabet. Samtavro necropolis, a burial
place north of the monastery, is dated between the middle of the 3rd
millennium BC and the 10th century.
In the outskirts of Mtskheta are the ruins of Armaztsikhe fortress
(3rd century BC), the Armaztsikhe acropolis (dating to the late 1st
century BC), remains of a "Pompey's bridge" (according to legends
built by Roman legionnaires of Pompey the Great in the 1st century
BC), the fragmentary remains of a royal palace (1st–3rd century AD), a
nearby tomb of the 1st century AD, and the fortress of Bebris tsikhe
(14th century).
Best period to visit: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter
• Jvari Monastery
• Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
• Shio-Mgvime monastery
• Samtavro St. Nino's Monastery
• Zedazeni Monastery
• Armaztsikhe fortress