GeorgiaOfficial tourism
Shiomghvime Monastery

Where a hermit saint hollowed stone into sanctuary

Shiomghvime Monastery

Why go

Saint Shio, one of the Thirteen Assyrian Fathers who brought Christianity to Georgia, retreated into this limestone ravine in the 560s and lived the final years of his life in a cave. His disciples carved the monastery directly from the cliff face, creating a vertiginous complex of tunnels, cells, and a domed church suspended above the Kura River gorge. The site preserves the austere spirituality of early Georgian monasticism—no gold, no grandeur, only stone, silence, and the same cool darkness that drew Shio from the world. Pilgrims still descend the narrow path to venerate his tomb in the cave where he died.

On the ground See

  • The original cave cell of Saint Shio, accessible by a steep stone staircase carved into the cliff
  • The 6th–7th century Church of St. John the Baptist, built partially into the rock face with medieval frescoes still visible
  • The narrow defensive corridor and upper terrace offering views down the Mtkvari River canyon toward Mtskheta

Practical Know before you go

Open year-round but most accessible April–October; reach by car 9 km from Mtskheta on a rough unpaved road, or hike 45 minutes from the village of Shiomghvime.

Last reviewed 25 August 2026 · reviewed quarterly