Historic Monuments of Mtskheta, World Heritage Site in Georgia

About 20 km northwest of the capital Tbilisi, Mtskheta was once the capital of the Iberian kingdom that flourished in the region. Three cathedrals and churches built in the Middle Ages remain, which were masterpieces of medieval Georgian religious architecture.

Here, a World Heritage enthusiast explains why Mtskheta’s historic buildings are a World Heritage Site in an easy-to-understand manner.Read this and you will definitely learn more about Mtskheta!

What are the Historic Monuments of Mtskheta?

Mtskheta is an ancient city located at the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtskheta rivers in eastern Georgia.There are three registered monuments: Sveti Tskhoveli Church, Samtavro Church and Monastery, and Jvari Monastery.

The city was the capital of the Iberian Kingdom (Kingdom of Eastern Georgia) from the 3rd to 5th century B.C. When Christianity was chosen as the state religion in the 4th century, many Christian churches were built in the city,After the 6th century, the capital moved to Tbilisi, but the city continued to be a cultural center, with contact with Rome, Persia, Palestine, the Byzantines, and many other countries.

Major registered properties

Sveti Tskhoveli Church

Originating as a wooden cathedral built in the garden of the royal palace in Mtskheta in the 4th century after King Mirian III of the Iberian Kingdom established Christianity within its borders, it became a stone basilica in the 5th century, but the present one was rebuilt in the 11th century. The cathedral was the seat of the Georgian Orthodox Patriarchate and is also a special cathedral for the Georgian people.

Samtavro Church and Monastery

A remaining monastery in northern Mtskheta, believed to be the former home of Saint Nino, who is said to have introduced Christianity from what is now Turkey. a small cathedral was built in the 4th century, and a larger cathedral was built in the 11th century. The tomb of King Mirian III of Iberia still remains. The monastery as we know it today has been in existence since the 16th century.

Jvari Monastery

A small monastery on a hill outside Mtskheta, its literal translation is “Monastery of the Cross”. A small church was built here in the 6th century, as Saint Nino once erected a cross here, and at the end of the 6th century a large tetraconchian (four-leaved) church was built, which became the traditional Georgian style. Churches of this type are numerous in Georgia. The cathedral has existed on a hill for centuries and suffers from severe damage.

For what reason are the Historic Monuments of Mtskheta on the World Heritage List?

Mtsheta was evaluated on the following points.

Registration Criteria (iii)
The point that the buildings at Mtskheta are evidence of the evangelization and spread of Christianity in the region and played an important role in medieval Georgia.

Registration Criteria (iv)
That these are excellent examples of Caucasian church architecture and provide a glimpse into the stages of architectural development.

Conclusions and Impressions of a World Heritage Maniac

Mtskheta is an ancient city, and its position is similar to that of Kyoto in Japan; since Christianity was made the state religion in the 4th century, it has long been a place where churches and monasteries remain, and is valued for its glimpse into the history of church architecture.

Incidentally, the Georgian Holy Church’s grape cross is derived from St. Nino. Both Cappadocia in Turkey, where she is said to have lived, and Georgia, where she moved, are famous for their wine.Perhaps she liked wine….

*The content here is a discussion derived from research conducted by World Heritage enthusiasts.As for the data, interpretation differs depending on the media.