is a city in the
region of Mtskheta-Mtianeti,
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 locations you will visit in
Mtskheta are
Jvari Monastery The name of this monastery translated as the "Monastery of the Cross". Jvari Monastery is a sixth-century Georgian Orthodox monastery near Mtskheta, eastern Georgia. Jvari is a rare case of an Early Medieval Georgian church that has survived to the present day almost unchanged.
Svetitskhoveli Cathedral The Svetitskhoveli Cathedral is an Orthodox Christian cathedral located in the historic town of Mtskheta, Georgia, to the northwest of the Georgian capital Tbilisi. A masterpiece of the Early and High Middle Ages, Svetitskhoveli is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Shiomgvime Monastery The Shio-Mgvime Monastery is a medieval monastic complex in Georgia, near the town of Mtskheta. It is located in a narrow limestone canyon on the northern bank of the Kura River, some 30 km from Tbilisi, Georgia's capital.