Why go
Bagrati Cathedral rises from Ukimerioni Hill as the defining silhouette of Kutaisi, its reconstructed dome and cross visible across the Rioni valley. Built in 1003 by King Bagrat III—founder of unified Georgia—the cathedral stood as the coronation church and spiritual heart of the medieval kingdom until Ottoman destruction in 1692. What you see today is controversial: a 2012 reconstruction by Italian architect Andrea Bruno that replaced the romantic ruin with a working church, earning UNESCO World Heritage delisting. The tension between preservation and revival is palpable here, making it essential for understanding how Georgia wrestles with its past. The interior bareness and panoramic views over Kutaisi's red-tiled sprawl reward the climb regardless of architectural politics.