Mtskheta — Georgia's soul

2-min read

If Tbilisi is Georgia’s heart, Mtskheta is its soul: the ancient capital, the seat of the church, and the place where the kingdom adopted Christianity in the 330s — among the earliest nations in the world to do so. The whole town is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Two buildings carry the weight. Jvari monastery stands on its hilltop over the meeting of two rivers; below, Svetitskhoveli cathedral — “the Life-Giving Pillar” — is held by tradition to stand over the burial place of Christ’s robe, which is why Georgians call Mtskheta their second Jerusalem.

🎒 Shoulders and knees covered in the churches; wraps are lent at the door. Small notes are handy for candles.