Mtskheta
Mtskheta () is one of oldest cities of the country of
Georgia (in
Kartli province of Eastern Georgia), near
Tbilisi. Mtskheta was a capital of the Georgian Kingdom of
Iberia during the
3rd century BC -
5th century AD. Here Georgians accepted
Christianity in
317 and Mtskheta still remains the headquarters of the
Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church.
Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (
11th century, see photo) and
Jvari Monastery (6th century) in Mtskheta are amongst the most significant monuments of Georgian Christian architecture. In Mtskheta can also be found the
Armaztsikhe fortress (
3rd century BC), the
Armaztsikhe acropolis (dating to the late 1st millennium BC), the fragmentary remains of a royal palace (1st-3rd century AD), a nearby tomb of the
1st century AD, a small church of the
4th century, the
Samtavro Monastery (11th century), the fortress of
Bebris Tsikhe (14th century), the Institute of Archaeology, and the garden of
Mikheil Mamulashvili.
The "Historical Monuments of Mtskheta" is a
UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The city is now the administrative centre of the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region.
See Also: Talk:Mtskheta
