Jvari - the monastery of the Holy Cross, over time, attracts an increasing number of pilgrims. The temple is located in the picturesque area of ​​Mtskheta, on top of the mountain. In the reviews, tourists write that in this place the words of the Russian poet Mikhail Lermontov are recalled, because it is here that the “jets of Aragvi and Kura” merge and, noisy with foamy waves, rush to ancient Tbilisi.
A significant part of the monastery is being destroyed, although the Great Church is still used for large religious holidays and solemn weddings. The complex is on the list of UNESCO sites under threat of destruction. The world community allocates significant funds to maintain it.
A story woven from facts and legends
Mtskheta was the place where Georgia converted to Christianity in 334. To this day, it remains the headquarters of the Georgian Orthodox Church. Jvari, or, as it is also called, the Monastery of the Cross, is considered one of the oldest in the Caucasus. Historians believe that it was built on the spot where Saint Nino, a female missionary, created the first Christian community in the 4th century. According to legend, she stopped here and prayed for a long time, and then stuck a cross in the ground. By 545, the first temple was erected in this place. He was later called the Small Church of Jvari. Unfortunately, it has not been preserved.
A second and larger temple, called the Great Jvari Church, was built nearby, between 586 and 605 years. Presumably, the remains of the patron saint of Georgia rest under the foundation of the monastery. This place is considered the most sacred not only in the country, but throughout the North Caucasus region.
Architectural style
Jvari Monastery is a vivid example of the assimilation of eastern and western values, adapted to the local artistic culture and natural conditions. A small beautiful symmetrical building became the culmination of early Christian-Georgian architecture and absorbed a number of artistic and architectural aspirations of the ancient builders.
The temple is made in the tetrakhonkhovy type (four apses are located in the form of a cross with a slightly elongated east-west axis). Decisions made on the basis of careful calculations are still impressive and testify to the centuries-old construction tradition of Georgia.
Deep niches between the four semicircular absides lead to corner rooms. The southwestern wing had only one entrance and was intended for women. A wide open octagon of the central room is crowned with a low dome, which rises from the load-bearing walls in three tiers.
Exterior and interior
The harmonious interior of the temple evokes calm, harmony and mysterious spiritual greatness, no doubt reinforced by the absence of mosaics and other decorations. The room is lit minimally (small window-slots and candles), so it looks somewhat dark and thoughtful. A wooden cross stands above the altar - this is all the decoration of the temple. Decorative design clearly indicates the influence of Sassanian art.
The same rigor applies to the appearance. The uniformly exposed stone blocks and the careful balance of the four facades forming the “weapon of the cross” became an outstanding achievement in construction, especially considering the technical difficulties of that time and the location of the western part of the building over a steep slope. Among the bas-reliefs of the eastern wall, one can find portraits of kings and bears who built the Jvari monastery, and explanatory inscriptions in Georgian. In this, the influence of Hellenistic traditions can be noted.
The exterior of the church is in perfect harmony with the interior space and artistically independent. This feature makes the church different from Byzantine temples, in which the organization of internal space is a high priority.
How to get to the Jvari monastery?
According to tourist reviews, the distance from Tbilisi to Mtskheta is about 19 kilometers, which in time by car takes up to 20 minutes.
Municipal minibuses run daily. On Sunday, the number of flights decreases sharply. A stop in Tbilisi is located at the market (Didube metro station. The fare in the subway is fixed - 0.50 GEL - and does not depend on distance). Leaving the subway, you need to pass a number of one-story stores and turn right. From here there are many minibuses in different directions. A ticket can be bought at the box office or paid directly to the driver. The fare is 1 GEL.
Reviews of tourists warn that if there is no desire to overpay, then you do not need to pay attention to taxi drivers loafing around there - they can report that minibuses to the Jvari Monastery do not reach or their services will cost less. That would be untrue.
You can also drive your own car or taxi. If you use the services of a private carrier, then before you get into the car, you must agree on a price. The cost ranges from 10 to 20 GEL. It will be cheaper to add up because the amount is divided by all passengers.
Useful Tips
In the reviews of tourists who have already visited the Georgian shrine, you can read some recommendations. So, among other things:
- Pilgrims and simply curious people must follow certain rules of behavior when visiting the Jvari monastery. Photo and video shooting of some fragments is strictly prohibited. Special signs placed across the territory help to make no mistake.
- Women should have 2 scarves with them. One should cover his head, the second, if a woman in trousers, you need to get in touch, imitating a skirt. If there is no bedspread with you, you can not be upset - at the entrance to the temple aprons and shawls hang, which they will offer to use.
Mtskheta is famous for metal products and enamel applied to it. Jvari Monastery opened a small souvenir shop on its territory where you can buy a trinket as a souvenir of visiting it - jewelry, a cross, a chain, as well as a calendar, a magnet, a book, a rosary or blessed water.
In addition, reviews of tourists say that the food in the restaurants of Mtskheta is very tasty and much cheaper than similar in Tbilisi.
Accommodation in Mtskheta will also bring less damage to the budget than directly in the Georgian capital, and the relative proximity to the main city of the country and good transport links with it will allow you to explore other nearby attractions.
What else to see in Mtskheta?
In 2004, the Jvari Monastery joined the List of the World Monuments Fund. Georgia in the area of ​​Mtskheta is rich in other monumental buildings. So, in the reviews of tourists who have been here mentioned:
- Svetitskhoveli (Life-giving Pillar) is one of the most sacred places in Georgia along with the Jvari monastery. The cathedral was built in 1010 where the country's first Christian church stood. The graves of ancient Georgian kings rest in it, including Sidonia, who, according to legend, was buried with the mantle of Christ in his hands.
- Samtavro (Place of the Ruler) is located north of the main road, a few minutes walk from Svetitskhoveli. According to legend, Saint Nino prayed at this place, and then a small church dating from the 4th century was built here. In the XI century, a larger temple was erected here. It still contains the graves of the Georgian king Mirian, who converted to Christianity, and his wife Nana.
- Bebris Tsikhe (Elder Fortress) is located up the main road from Samtavro. In the reviews, tourists report that wandering around the ruins of the citadel is fun enough, but unsafe. From the top opens a valley formed by the confluence of the Kura and Aragvi rivers.