Mtskheta, Religious city at the confluence of Kura and Aragvi rivers, Georgia.
Mtskheta is a small town in central Georgia, about 20 kilometers north of Tbilisi, sitting where the Kura and Aragvi rivers converge. Stone churches and monasteries rise among low houses, surrounded by wooded hills and rock formations.
The settlement served as the capital of the Kingdom of Iberia from the 3rd century BC until the 5th century AD and developed fortifications to protect against invasions. In the 4th century, Christianity was declared the state religion here, leading to the construction of numerous religious buildings.
The name Mtskheta derives from the Georgian word for union, referring to the point where two rivers meet. Locals come here to make pilgrimages and celebrate religious feasts, while the streets fill with pilgrims and visitors who walk between the churches.
The old town can be covered on foot in a short time, as the main buildings sit close together. Comfortable shoes are advisable since some paths cross uneven cobblestones and gentle slopes.
Jvari Monastery rises on a mountain peak above the town and marks the spot where Saint Nino erected a wooden cross in the 4th century. From up there, you can see the two rivers merging directly below the slopes.
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