About 20 km north of Tbilisi, hidden in a valley, is the town of Mtskheta ….
The small town was once the seat of government for Georgia and, now, most of its monuments and cathedrals are part of the UNESCO world heritage sites.
The most famous (and hardest to get to) is the Dschwari (or Jvari) Monastery. It is located on a rocky mountain top overlooking the city below. The name is translated as Monastery of the Cross.
In the historical center of town there is another well-known cathedral…
This cathedral is known as the burial place for Christ’s mantle, and is the main Georgian church and one of the most venerated places of worship in the country.
The Samtawro Church is best known as the burial place of the famous Georgian monk –Gabriel.
This interesting and old city (one of the oldest continuously populated cities in the world) is easily reached from Tbilisi by public transportation.. Buses run frequently and are very inexpensive..usually from 4 to 7 leira each way. Or you can hire a driver for the day. It will cost from 100-125 leira for the whole day, but is well worth because it makes it easy to get to the mountain top and the Dschwari Monastery..
Happy Travels!
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