Kakheti

A 6th-century cave monastery clinging onto a rocky hillside lying meters away from Azerbaijan, with beautiful frescos.

Built in the 11th century by the order of King Kwirike III. (King of Kakheti), reaching 50 m into the sky, this is the second highest cathedral and third highest church in Georgia (after the Sameba cathedral and the Svetitskhoveli cathedral, respectively). Before it, another monastery was standing here, built during the 4th century by Ioseb Alaverdeli (Ioseb of Alaverdi).

A mysterious, remote region high in the mountains bordering Chechnya with ancient pagan and Christian monuments; to go here is to wander back in time hundreds of years. Famous for its historic towers.

A former academy and now monastery, it was founded by Zenon Iqaltoeli on in the 2nd half of the 6th century. Zenon Iqaltoeli was a Christian religious founder and one of so called 13 Assyrian fathers, also buried inside of the monastery. In the 12th century, the theologian Arsen Iqaltoeli, which studied at Mangana in Constantinople and worked together with Johannes Petrizi, founded the academy on the orders of King David. For centuries the academy was the cultural centre of Georgia, teaching theology, philosophy, astronomy, rhetoric, law and mathematics. The monastery was also used as a winery and a smithy. In 1616 the academy was destroyed by Shah Abbas I.
In 1938 the grounds were examined, and the ruins of 59 buildings, several craft businesses and one pressing plant were found. Nowadays, the monastery contains three churches and the ruin of the academy. The main church, Chwtaeba (holy ghost), originates from the 8th century.

This complex contains Akhali and Dzveli Shuamta, which were renovated in 2008, including a paved road for access.

Another 2 km further, it contains a basilica from the 5th century and two churches from the 7th century. The bigger one of the churches is similar to the Jvari Monastery near Mtskheta. Dzveli Shuamta was abandoned during the 16th century but was restored in 2008.

A fortified fantasy castle and Georgian orthodox cathedral upon a large rock in front of the mountains with a church on top. The cathedral was erected in 1565 by King Levan. The frescos are from 1577. Built from bricks and simultaneously being a fortress, the cathedral has three entrances, a western, southern and northern one. Before it was built, the tower, still there today as bell tower and detached from the rest, was the only thing standing there.

An archaeological site and monastery near Shilda. The city was founded in the 1st or 2nd century B.E. by the King of Iberia, Parnadshomi. During the 4th century, King Mihrdat built a church here, which was later, in the 6th century, inhabited and used by one of the 13 Assyrian fathers, Abibos Nekresseli. During this time, the bishopric of Nekresi was founded, which lasted until the 19th century. Due to its strategically favourable location, Nekresi became an important city in this region, serving as a centre for education and hagiography.
Nekresi consists of several churches and related buildings. The little basilica from the 4th century is one of the oldest still remaining churches in Georgia. Another larger basilica from the 7th century represents the three church basilica type, an independent kind of architecture for Georgian churches. During the 8th century, another church with a dome was erected in Nekresi. The monastery also houses a two-storey bishop palace from the 8/9th century. Furthermore, in the 16th century a tower was built here. Parts of the historical city have been excavated and can be visited.