Jvari Monastery – Historical Monuments in Mtskheta

Jvari means Cross or the Monastery of Cross, it is a sixth century old Georgian Orthodox Monastery. It is listed as one of UNESCO World Heritage Site – named as the historical monuments of Mtskheta.

From Tbilisi by 10 o’clock we rode to the monastery. It is located at the mountaintop at the junction of Mtkvari and Argavi rivers.  We rode about 40 minutes more or less from Tbilisi to the hilltop. We parked the car at the parking area and walked few steps uphill to the monastery.

The view at the top from the monastery is great! Overlooking to Mtskheta which is the former capital of the Kingdom of Iberia (now is Georgia). The monastery’s location is very visible where you are in the city as well.

In 545 A.D. a small church was built in the remnant of the wooden cross named as the “small church of Jvari” and was replaced by the “great church of Jvari” by the end of the 6th century.

Jvari church is one of those old churches that I saw which have a great architecture and construction. Most old churches I saw when I’m in Georgia have dome shaped roof and have few or small windows.  The Jvari church have a four arch and four niches.

Tradition said that on the 4th century Saint Nino stayed in this place to pray and erected a wooden cross at the site of a pagan temple. Saint Nino was a female evangelist who preached Christianity  in the Kingdom of Iberia (now Georgia). She leads to the conversion of the pagan King Mirian III who declared Christianity as the official religion in the country.

---

References: wikipedia; Georgia About