Georgia’s churches & monasteries

Although the vast majority of Georgians are Orthodox Christians, the country has a long tradition of harbouring communities and places of worship from different faiths. The capital Tbilisi is a perfect example. In addition to its many churches, it is served by two synagogues and three mosques, including the Jumah Mosque which provides sanctity for Sunni and Shia Muslims to pray side by side.

Georgian Orthodox Christianity is by far the country’s primary religion, and visiting Georgia’s churches and monasteries will shine a light on the power of the Church in terms of traditional practices and conservative politics. Christianity has been preached in Georgia since the 1st century, and it was declared the national religion some 300 years later. The Ottoman invasion in the early 18th century, followed by annexation by the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union, meant the Georgian Orthodox Church was repressed. Many churches were closed, destroyed or rebuilt as secular places of worship. However, since Georgia’s independence from Russia in the early 1990s the Georgian Orthodox Church has seen a continued rise and resurgence in numbers, and in power. It has become a virtual state religion.

Starting in Tbilisi's Old Town, you can explore the 6th century Anchiskhati Basilica of St Mary and the Sioni Cathedral, on the banks of the river Kura. The elevated views from Metekhi Church are ideal for orientation as well as enlightenment.

Just 20km northwest of Tbilisi, the entire city of Mtskheta has UNESCO World Heritage status and is considered the country's primary centre – a Holy City – of Georgian Orthodox Christianity. Its 11th century Svetitskhoveli Cathedral is Georgia’s second largest and is revered as it contains the tunic worn by Christ at the moment of crucifixion.

Heading towards the Russian border, the 14th century Holy Trinity Church of Gergeti gives hikers a heavenly place to head via a tough, yet rewarding, climb up the steep mountain slope. Another UNESCO site, the Vardzia Monastery, lies to the south of the capital – about a three-hour drive. Churches, chapels, cellars and monastic living quarters were carved from the Erusheti Mountains, close to the borders with Armenia and Turkey, and are still inhabited by monks who ring a bell every morning at 7am.

Our Georgia holidys always include opportunities to visit the churches and monasteries that have provided people with sanctity through imperial occupation and troubled times. Learning about the history of each building, and the surrounding communities, will allow travellers to understand the importance of religion to the people of Georgia, and how Georgian Orthodox Christianity is a huge part of the country's cultural heritage and national identity. You don't have to be in any way religious to experience the atmosphere of a grand city church or a rock hewn monastery. Visiting in the company of a local guide is definitely the best way to untangle the historic, cultural and political threads that are intertwined throughout the countries of the Caucasus.