Jvari Monastery (Mtskheta)
A sixth-century stone church on a hilltop above the meeting of two rivers, an early model for Georgian church building.
About
Jvari, which means cross, stands on a rocky hill above Mtskheta. From the terrace you look down on the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtkvari rivers, and on the cathedral and rooftops of the old capital below.
The church is small and compact, built of pale stone in the form of a cross with a central dome. Inside, a large wooden cross stands at the centre, marking the spot where, according to tradition, Saint Nino raised a cross in the fourth century.
History
The church was built around the end of the sixth century. Its plan, with a central dome supported on four arches, was influential in later Georgian and Armenian churches. It is part of the Historical Monuments of Mtskheta, inscribed by UNESCO in 1994. According to tradition, Saint Nino raised a wooden cross on this hilltop in the fourth century, and the present church was later built to protect the spot. The carved reliefs on its facade, which show the people who commissioned it, are among the earliest of their kind in Georgia. The view from here, over the meeting of two rivers, also inspired the Russian poet Mikhail Lermontov.
UNESCO World Heritage: Inscribed 1994.