Mtskheta

Mtskheta, the ancient city of Iberia (Karli) is the historical capital of Georgia. Tradition bears the name of the town with Mtskhetos, the ancestral son of the mythical patriarch of the Georgians, Kartlos.
A scientific explanation proceeds from the ancient Georgian tribe of the Meskchi (Messchetes).
Like all old Georgian cities, it also consisted of the actual town (kalaki) and the fortress (tsikhe-simagre) and the acropolis.
In the Hellenistic period, construction activity in and around Mtskheta was particularly intense. The archaeological excavations in Armasi gave a settlement history, which originated in pre-Christian times. King Parnavas (3rd century BC) had "Armasi's fortress" on the right bank of the river Kura (mtkvari), created "Armasi's Divinity" on Mount Bagineti, fortified the whole city with a protective wall and declared himself king of the country.
It was King Parnavas, who "extended the Georgian language, and there was no language in Kartli except Georgian."
The city is located at the confluence of the rivers Kura and Aragvi. Here the well-known trade routes crossed the famous Silk Road.In the early 4th century BC, Mtskheta became the center of the Christianization of Iberia and was the spiritual, political and cultural center of the East Georgia until the king Vakhtang Gorgasali relocated his residence to the rising Tbilisi and lost his political significance. But still today, Mtskheta is regarded as the religious center of the country and a UNESCO World heritage site.  The city and its surroundings, there are many valuable cultural monuments belonging to the UNESCO World Heritage Site and architectural witnesses of a great past.
The sights of Mtskheta: The Jvari Monastery, the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, Samtavro Monastery, the Shio-Mgvime Monastery.

The Jvari Monastery
Jvari- (Cross) Monastery (585-605) of Mtskheta, built on the hilltop, impresses equally by the harmony its structure and the beauty of its location, a magnificent panorama. Here on this hill,St. Nino, who brought Christianity to Georgia in the fourth century, erected a monumental cross, a triumphal sign of the Christianization of the country. Two centuries later the Erismtavari (ruling prince) Stephanos the first built today’s cross-church.
Jvari church is considered an ideal type and first pattern of Georgian cross-dome construction.
 
The Svetitskhoveli-Kathesrale (cathedral of the life-giving pillar)
The Svetitskhoveli cathedral was for centuries the coronation and burial site of the Georgian monarchs and was considred the main church of the Georgian Orthodox Apostle Church.
Excavations have shown that the church on the railing of today's cathedral was a wooden building from the 30s of the 4th century. In the 5th century, the king Vakhtang Gorgasali replaced it with the stone basilica. At the beginning of the 11th century, the construction of the guard was so severely damaged that the architect Arsukidze replaced it by a large cathedral.Svetitskhoveli is a purely Georgian experience.
But much more important is the spiritual importance of the cathedral.
Around the construction and the name of the cathedral are many beautiful legend.
According to tradition, the Christ's robe was buried, which according to legend has brought by Jewish man named Elias to Mtskheta in the 1st century AD. On his return, his sister Sidonia appeared on the threshold of the house. She died of inner excitement after she had touched the precious relic of her new faith, and was buried with the garment of Christ. From the grave a powerful Lebanese cedar grew. The cedar was used for the construction of the first church at the same site (327); it was to serve as one of the pillars of the then wooden building,which became a miracle of salvation. Hence the name: Sveti tskhoveli, the life-giving pillar.
Samtavro Monastery
 The Samtavro Nunnery, not far from Svetitskhoveli, is a small church from the 4th century. The name Samtavro- "place of the ruler" refers to the royal garden in which St. Nino found refuge. In the monastery garden are still remains of the former palace, a small chapel - a Christian sacred building, as well as a series of later buildings. In the southwest corner of the church are the tombs of the first Christian rulers of Georgia, King Mirian and his wife Nana.
The Shiom-Mgvime Monastery
The monastery is located 12 kilometers from Mtskheta in front of a high wall. It was founded by monk Shio, one of the so-called 13 Syrian fathers. He settled down in a small cave, where he died, and was buried at his last will. It is now considered a holy place. And the name of the monastery Shio Mgvime, which consists of several separate churches, means Shio's cave.
Shiom-Mgvime was one of the most important monasteries in the country. From the 11th to the 14th century it was a scientific center. Here philosophers, historians, calligraphists, books were written and translated. The wonderful frescoes were unfortunately painted over in the 19th century.