Mtskheta
მცხეთა
Mtskheta Jvari Church
August 8, 2005
Roland, our hired driver for the day was nice and soon enough we made it to Jvari
Monastery, the most holy of holies in the country. The church is perched atop a
cliff with nothing for miles along the roads. It overlooked the meeting of the Mtkvari
and Aragvi Rivers and the town of Mtskheta. Beside the church stood the remains
of an earlier church from the 6th century.
After this we headed back down to Mtskheta to see the old capital city and Sveti-Tskhoveli
Cathedral, the burial place of Christ’s robe. At first glance the church and town
are not extremely impressive, but then you realize the monstrous church was built
in the 11th century. When we entered the courtyard, the grounds were draped in silence
other than a single monk tolling a bell at the southern end. The bell stood atop
the southern wall with a long rope hanging down to the earth from where he pulled
to send out a ring that echoed throughout the complex and town.
The city of Mtskheta
Sveti Tshoveli Church in Mtskheta