GeorgiaOfficial tourism
Mtskheta

Where Georgia's soul was baptized

Mtskheta

Why go

Mtskheta was the capital of the eastern Georgian kingdom of Iberia from the 3rd century BC until the 5th century AD, when King Vakhtang Gorgasali moved the capital to Tbilisi. This riverside town remains the spiritual center of the Georgian Orthodox Church, and its Svetitskhoveli Cathedral—built on the site where Christ's robe is believed to have been buried—has drawn pilgrims for over a millennium. The town's layered history as a Silk Road crossroads and its remarkable concentration of UNESCO World Heritage sites make it essential for understanding how Georgia forged its identity at the meeting point of empires.

On the ground See

  • Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, the 11th-century masterpiece where Georgian kings were crowned and buried, with its extraordinary carved stone exterior
  • Jvari Monastery, the 6th-century hilltop church overlooking the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers, one of Georgia's most iconic views
  • Samtavro Monastery, where Saint Nino—the woman who converted Georgia to Christianity in the 4th century—is buried

Practical Know before you go

Open year-round; 30 minutes by marshrutka or taxi from Tbilisi's Didube station, or combine with the Georgian Military Highway.

Last reviewed 25 August 2026 · reviewed quarterly