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The wine harvest festival is happening all around Alaverdi Monastery every September. It takes place several days and reaches its peak on 28th September, the day of the holy Ioseb Alawerdeli (Joseph of Alaverdi). This festival has been a tradition and popular for centuries and even survived the Soviet Union.
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Georgian: ალავერდი, ალავერდის მონასტერი, ალავერდის ტაძარი
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 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.
The residential palace of the Chavchavadzes family. It has a charming garden of a medium size.
Georgian: გრემის ტაძარი
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.
Rents bicycles for self-guided trips through the nearby vineyards of Gremi.