Algeti National Park

Algeti National Park (also know as ალგეთის ეროვნული პარკი in Georgian) is a 157.6 km² park situated in Algeti Valley in Georgia, in the north of the region of Kvemo Kartli. It was established in 1965 (established as a national park in 2007) and to protect the easternmost limits of the Caucasian spruce and Nordmann fir. Next to it are located the woody southern slopes of the eastern Trialeti Range

How do I arrive to Algeti National Park?

  Algeti National Park isn't quite well communicated with other Georgian towns and cities.

• Bus: there are marshrutkas departing from Tbilisi to Manglisi.
• Car: the main entrance to Algeti National Park is via Manglisi, that can be reached from places such as Tsalka (aprox. 40 minutes), Marneuli and Tbilisi (aprox. 1 hour 10 minutes), Mtskheta (aprox. 1 hour 25 minutes), Rustavi (aprox. 1 hour 40 minutes) or Ninotsminda (aprox. 1 hour 50 minutes).

  Once in the Park the best ways to move around the park are the car or simply hiking.  

History

Before the creation of the reserve, the territory of the modern Algeti National Park belonged to the Manglissky forestry of the Tetri-Tskarsky forestry enterprise. Inspection of its massifs revealed valuable stands of Eastern spruce and Caucasian fir. The eastern border of the areas of these tree species runs through the Lesser Caucasus, therefore these plantations were of scientific value. To prevent their logging, in April 1965, this territory was declared a state nature reserve. Its area was 6400 hectares, but soon it was reduced to 6000 hectares [2]. From the first years of the existence of this protected area, difficulties arose in observing the strict conservation regime. They were due to the significant intersection of the protected zone with agricultural land, as well as, to a certain extent, the proximity to the boundaries of the reserve of tourist sites. Therefore, in 2007, a compromise decision was made: the status of the Algeti Reserve was downgraded to a national park, which made it possible to open access to tourist attractions for organized tourists and reduce the number of unauthorized visits.

What can I visit in Algeti National Park?

  Algeti National Park is a unknown destination and not touristic at all. Therefore it can be a nice idea to breath some fresh air and enjoy unspoilt nature. In the following lines it will be explained what to do in the park according to the town or village where they are or the nearest one:    

• Manglisi (მანგლისი in Georgian): 1,441 inhabitants mountain resort town that is regarded as one of the earliest centers of Christianism in Georgia. Like in many towns in the north of the region Kvemo Kartli, the town used to have a significant Greek minority (although its largest minortiy were Russians and today, Armenians).
  

  • Manglisi Cathedral: cathedral, first built in the 4th century, whose current building was constructed in 6th-7th centuries and restored in the 11th century. It's said that the Byzantine Emperor Constantine the Great gifted some Georgian priests parts of the True Cross and bishop Ioanne started construction of a church with a part of it there until Greeks took the parts of the True Cross back to Constantinople in the 7th century. Its design is unique, consisting of a tetraconch inserted into an octagon.  
  • Algeti National Park Administration (9-18 Mon-Fri, 9-16 Sat-Sun): office where getting registered to get into the national park and getting some information about the area.
    
  • Close to Manglisi it's located Arsena Cave, a cave where Arsena Odzelashvili used to be hidden. He was a Georgian outlaw that is said to have robbed the rich to help the poor in the 19th century, fighting against serfdom and Russian rule colonial rule in Georgia. His popularity has been reflected in several fictional settings in folk poetry and patriotic Georgian literature. Continuing by river Algeti there's also Lake Buratino, a small and cute lake made by a man for his wife in 1988.
• There are some nice trails departing from Manglisi Cathedral, getting deeper into Algeti National Park. The main ones are Royal Ridge Trail (14.7 km) and Choliani-Kldekari-Manglisi Trail (19.4 km). This last one crosses Torghva Canyon till it reaches Kldekari. Here are located the Ruins of Kldekari Fortress, remains of a castle of the 9th century that was built by Duke of Kldekari Liparit I Baghvashi, placed in an important crossroads. It was attacked and conquered in the wars between Georgian kings and some nobles. Close to it is situated Mount Kldekari (2,000 m high) too, the highest point in the national park.
• Going south, there's another part of the planned national park, located around Algeti Reservoir. This artificial lake where river Algeti flows, where it's planned to build a 1.1 MW hydroelectric station. Next to it there's a nice forest, Baxcho Wood, or the Ruins of Amlivi Complex (place that has a church, a bell tower and several farm buildings from the 17th century, and a 15th-16th century fortress). Here it's possible to discover Birtvisi Canyon, enjoyin monumental cliffs, small waterfalls, rocky tunnels that make a beautiful and mystical environment. In the canyon there's Birtvisi Fortress, a ruined fortress within limestone cliffs in the gorge of Algeti river. It was first mentioned in the 11th century and in medieval Georgia, it had a reputation of an impregnable stronghold. After the partition of the Kingdom of Georgia, Birtvisi was within the borders of the Kingdom of Kartli (in possession of the princes Baratashvili).
  

Manglisi Cathedral

Torghva Canyon

Frescoes of Betania Monastery

In the way from Tbilisi to Algeti National Park there are some places that are worth a visit. One of the highlights is Betania Monastery, a monastery whose construction took place in the 11th-12th centuries as a familial abbey of the House of Orbeli, considered a remarkable piece of architecture of the Georgian Golden Age. The monastery is notable for its wall paintings (damaged murals but also one of the high points of medieval Georgian wall painting), including representations of contemporary Georgian monarchs like George III, Queen Tamar or George IV. Betania remained the only operating Georgian monastery in the Soviet Union until 1963 (it opened again in 1978).

On

Fragments of frescoes in Ikvi Church

the other side of the border, in the region of Shida Kartli, it's the area known as Trialeti, an ethnographic region around Trialeti Range. Part of is what was known as Trialeti Ossetia, an area of settlement of Ossetians until the early 1990s. On the western part it can be found Rkovi Monastery, a monastic complex first built in the 7th century, rebuilt in the 13th-14th century and in the 17th-18th century too (because it was destroyed in 1400 after Tamerlane's raids). Next to it are located some other religious highlights such as Ikvi Georgian Orthodox Church (11th century cross-in-square church known for its elaborate decorative external stone carvings and the 12th-13th high-quality century frescoes) or St. Giorgi Georgian Orthodox Church in Saorbis (ruins of a church built in 1152 that keeps some very nice stone carvings and fragments of frescoes). 

Kvatakhevi Monastery

On the eastern part of this reserve, it's located Kvatakhevi Monastery, a monastic complex that dates back to the 12th-13th century. Its architecture resembles the monasteries of Betania, Pitareti and Timotesubani, reflecting a contemporary canon of a Georgian domed church architecture. It was a literary center where several manuscripts were copied and also possessed a treasure with many artifacts of medieval Georgian jewelry (on display at the Moscow State Historical Museum). Very close to the monastery, on river Kavtura, it can be enjoyed the beautiful Tavkavta Waterfall. Continuing by the river it can also be found Lavriskhevi Georgian Orthodox Church (10th century cross-in-square church that had frescoes, a wooden floor and an iconostasis added in the 19th century) and Magalaant Church Complex (14th century complex that was owned by the Maghaladze, a noble family from Imereti that were elevated to the category of dukes under king Erekle I).

Views of Tsalka

In the northwestern corner of the region of Kvemo Kartli (one of the regions with most ethnic diversity in Georgia) it can be found Tsalka (წალკა in Georgian, Τσάλκα in Greek, Ծալկա in Armenian), a 2,326 inhabitants small town that used to have the largest communities of Caucasian Greeks (the only area in the USSR where the Greek language was taught in schools because more than 90% of the population where Greeks). Now their numbers have considerably decreased due to emigration to Greece. One of the witnesses of this Greek presence is Tsalka Greek Orthodox Church, a three-aisled basilica with origin in the 6th century. The town has a significant Armenian population too. Next to the town it can be visited Dashbashi Canyon, a part of Khrami gorge created by the erosion of the volcanic plateau. Its main highlights are the cascading waterfalls, specially Dashbashi Waterfall becuase of its exotic emerald colour.

Dashbashi Waterfall in Dashbashi Canyon

Other natural sights close to the town are Tsalka Reservoir, the largest reservoir in all Georgia; or Lake Bareti, a beautiful blue lake with open spaces that creates wonderful scenery. This area has some other monuments that can be interesting to visit. Some of them are St. Giorgi Georgian Orthodox Church in Dashbashi (domed church from the 10th-11th century comissioned by the eristavi Rati with some inscriptions), Ghvtismshoblis Church in Dashbashi (ruins of an Armenian church from the 19th century, only preserving its apse) or St. Giorgi Georgian Orthodox Church of Tejisi (medieval hall church with a megalithic fence). Avranlo Megalithic Fortress, a fortress that dates back to the first millennium BC, is also a good sight of this area.

Where can I eat in Algeti National Park?

There aren't many places to eat within Algeti National Park and it's probably a good idea to eat in the nearest large town.

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Posted in: Europe,Georgia,National Park

Mtskheta

Mtskheta (მცხეთა in Georgian, Мцхета in Russian) is a 7,584 inhabitants town in the confluence of the rivers Kura (Mtkvari) and Aragvi, in the central part of Georgia. Mtskheta has been the spiritual and religious heart of Georgia since Christianity was established here around 327. It was the capital of most of eastern Georgia during many centuries. Mtskheta is the most popular destination for day-trips from Tbilisi and the historical monuments of Mtskheta are placed in UNESCO World Heritage list.

How do I arrive to Mtskheta?

  Mtskheta is well connected with other towns in Georgia because its proximity to Tbilisi. 

• Train: there are about 10 daily trains from Gori to Tbilisi (aprox. 1 hour 15 minutes) that stop in Mtskheta.
• Bus: there are marshutkas from places like Tbilisi (aprox. 20 minutes) every 20 minutes. 
• Car: if you rented a car, from Mtskheta it can be reached Saguramo (aprox. 20 minutes) in Tbilisi National Park; Mukhrani, Tbilisi and Tsilkani (aprox. 30 minutes), Dusheti and Kaspi (aprox. 40 minutes), Ertatsminda (aprox. 50 minutes), Gori (aprox. 1 hour), Rustavi (aprox. 1 hour 5 minutes), Jashuri (aprox. 1 hour 25 minutes), Algeti National Park (aprox. 2 hours) and Stepantsminda (aprox. 3 hours 20 minutes) in Kazbegi National Park. It could also be reached from Tskhinvali (aprox. 1.5 hours) in the de facto state of South Ossetia.
  

History

  The area of Mtskheta has been inhabited from 2nd millennium BC, and numerous burials of the Bronze Age have been found around Mtskheta. Mtskheta was founded by Mtskhetos (son of Kartlos, eponymous ancestor of the Georgians) according to The Georgian Chronicles but historians consider that it was founded by ancient Meschian tribes in the 5th century BC. Mtskheta was the capital of the Kingdom of Iberia from the 3rd century BC to the 5th century AD. In those years it's believed that it was conquered by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC and it was invaded by the Roman commander Pompey in 5 BC. During the times of king Pharasmanes I, the first Christian communities appeared in Kartli and local Jews brought the Holy Tunic to Mtskheta. It was a site of early Christian activity resulting in Christianization of Iberia (Christianity was proclaimed the state religion in 337) and today, it remains the headquarters of the Georgian Orthodox Church. In the early 6th century, king Dachi of Iberia moved the capital from Mtskheta to Tbilisi. Afterwards the importance of Mtskheta began to decline, but it continued as the coronation and burial place for most kings of Georgia. In 736-738, the city was conquered and destroyed by the Arab commander Murman II Ibn Muhammad and the same happened in the 15th with Tamerlane army. In the following centuries, the importance of Mtskheta kept gradually decreasing and, after the unification of the Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti with Russia, it was only small village in Dusheti region. Mtskheta was granted the status of a "Holy City" by Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II of Georgia in 2014.
 

What can I visit in Mtskheta?

  Mtskheta old town is very nice but a bit inauthentic, and maybe too renovated. Most of the streets are now pedestrianized and, especially on weekends, there are many wedding parties that come to Mtskheta to get marry to some its important churches.

These are Mtskheta's main attractions:

• 

  Svetitskhoveli Cathedral

  Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (8-22 Mon-Fri, 8-17 Sat, 13-22 Sun): extraordinary 11th century Georgian Orthodox cathedral that was comissioned under Patriarch Melchizedek I, widely regarded as one of the most beautiful churches in all Georgia. The cathedral has a cross-in-square plan . It was built early in the golden age of Georgian church architecture, although the first church was a wooden church built by king Mirian in the 4th century (then replaced in the 5th century for a stone one). It is adorned with beautiful stone carving outside and inside the church. It's believed that Christ’s robe (taken by a Mtskheta Jew called Elioz who was in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus' crucifixion) lies under a 17th century ciborium (square pillar decorated with colourful but a bit faded frescoes of that depict the conversion of Kartli). Other of the highlights of the cathedral are its impressing interior frescoes (some of them were whitewashed for a scheduled visit of czar Nicholas I that never happened).

  

  Ciborium in Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
  

  Several Georgian monarchs are buried here such as the tomb of Erekle II (king of Kartli-Kakheti from 1762 to 1798), Vakhtang I of Iberia, George XII, David VI, George VIII, Luarsab I and various members of the Bagrationi royal family (including Tamar, the first wife of George XI, whose epitaph is written both in Georgian and Arabic script). The cathedral is situated in the middle of the large yard, surrounded by high 18th century walls with towers.
  
• Museum of Mtskheta (10-17 Tue-Sun; 3₾/ 1₾  adults/ students): small archaeological museum that exhibits most of the objects found in Mtskheta during archaeological excavations, such jewelry, weapons and some urns that are around 6,000 years old. The collection shows how important the town was during many centuries.  
• Antiokia Georgian Orthodox Church: small church from the 7th-8th centuries with beautiful frescoes, situated in a monastery garden right at the confluence of the rivers Mtkvari and Aragvi.
  

  

  Samtavro Monastery
  

• Samtavro Monastery (9-19): large Georgian Orthodox monastery that was built in the 12th century by the king George I of Georgia and Patriarch Melchizedek I. Its main church has cross-in-square temple and its façades are richly decorated (taking into consideration the difference in the illumination). Inside there are some fragments of frescos remaining in the dome and altar, painted in the 16th-17th centuries; here are buried king Mirian and queen Nana too, under a stone canopy. Today it's part of a nunnery, the venerated monk Gabriel Urgebadze is buried in the yard of Samtavro Church and St. Nino Chapel, a 4th century chapel whose foundation is attributed to St. Nino of Cappadocia (who converted Georgia into Christianity), is located here too.
• Samtavro Archaeological Site: cemetery that is dated between the middle of the 3rd millennium BC and the 10th century. Up to 3,000 graves have been examined by archaeologists, finding archaic pottery, stone and metal tools and tombs.
  

  

  Babristsikhe Fortress
  

• Bebristsikhe Fortress (free): fortress on the right bank of river Aragvi that was built to protect Mtskheta and Tbilisi from the north from the 9th century (it has been rebuilt many times, the last one in the 18th century). It was built to imitate a continuation of the mountain and has two levels, citadel and the lower courtyard. Currently the fortress' conditions aren't very good ones and it would probably need some restorations.
  
• St. Barbare Georgian Orthodox Church: church that was first built in the 10th-11th centuries (although rebuilt several times). Its structure is simple, has austere façades and some carvings on its interior.
  

• 

  Jvari Monastery
  

  Jvari Monastery (8-19): monastery located on on the margin of a cliff on hilltop overlooking Mtskheta, where king Mirian III of Iberia erected a wooden cross soon after being converted by St Nino in the 4th century. The current monastery was built in the 6th century under Stepanoz I (eristavi of Kartli). Its style follows the classical early Georgian tetraconch design (sometimes refered as Jvari type, prevalent in Georgia and Armenia), and one of the rare cases of early Georgian church that remains almost unchanged and one of the best examples of harmonic relation of architecture with nature too. The façades are covered with wonderful bas-relief sculptures with Hellenistic and Sassanian influences and the interior is bare but it has a carved wooden cross. From here, there are spectacular views over Mtskheta and the confluence of rivers Aragvi and Mtkvari.

  

  Ruins in Armazi
  

  
  
• St. Ekaterine da Olga Russian Orthodox Church: Russian Art Nouveau nunnery founded around 1890 by the grieving wife of a railway engineer who committed suicide because of the failure to build a tunnel. 
  
• Close to Mtskheta, only 4 km far, it can be found Armazi, a settlement where the ancient city of Armazi (original capital of the early Georgian kingdom of Iberia) was located. It particularly flourished in the early centuries BC and was destroyed by the Arab invasion in the 730s. In this archaeological there are currently excavations and here it has been found royal sarcophagus, a bath house, a wine cellar, a pre-Christian temple or The Stele of Serapeitis, a funerary stele with bilingual inscriptions written in Ancient Greek and Armazic (local idiom of Aramaic). Next to the settlement it's located Ghvtismshoblis Church of Armazi, a nice church from the 12th century.
  

Frescoes in Shio-Mgvime Monastery

Around Mtskheta there are several places and sites to visit that are worth some time. Driving 12 km far it can be found Shio-Mgvime Monastery, a Georgian Orthodox monastic complex located in a narrow limestone canyon that used to be one of the largest monastic community in Georgia (populated by as many as 2,000 monks). It is said to have been founded in the 6th century by Shio Mgvimeli, one of the Thirteen Assyrian Fathers, who spent his last years as a hermit in a deep cave here, the Cave of St. Shio. Its oldest church was founded in the 6th century, remaining almost unchanged along time, and it used to house a wonderful iconostasis (now at the Art Museum of Georgia in Tbilisi). Another important church is Zemo Church, a 12th century church that was built under king David IV of Georgia and rebuilt in the 17th century as a basilica. Continuing in the road towards Gori it can be found Ksani Fortress. It is a fortress that is strategically perched on a mount overlooking the confluence of the river Ksani with river Kura.

Mukhranbatoni Palace

It was built by Bagrat I, Prince of Mukhrani (founder of the house of Mukrani) in 1512 and reconstructed by Constantine III, Prince of Mukhrani in 1746. Its walls fortified with bastions and towers of different size and shape are quite well preserved and in its courtyard, there are a pond and a wine-cellar too. Going a bit northwest, 25 km far from Mtskheta can be found Mukhrani (მუხრანი in Georgian) with its 6,197 inhabitants. Some of the nicest sights are Mukhrani Fortress (18th century fortress that is one of the largest preserved in Georgia) and Mukhranbatoni Palace (French-style palace built in the late-19th century for the landlord and general Ivan Mukhranbaton; it was recently restored and has a prestigious winery too, where wine was made in accordance with European rules). Jvarpatiosnis Georgian Orthodox Church of Telovani is placed a bit north from Mukhrani, in an abandoned settlement. This temple is an 8th-9th century tetraconch church. The interior contains heavily damaged murals from the 9th-10th centuries, including one of the earliest Georgian depictions of the Image of Edessa.

Metekhi Ghvtismshoblis Church

Crossing to the region of Shida Kartli using Mtskheta-Gori Highway, it can be nice to stop in Idleti to have a look at its Ioane Natlismtsemlis Georgian Orthodox Church, a cross-in-square church with a rectangular low dome (unfrequent in Georgian medieval architecture) and some damaged paintings on its interior. Only 15 km later, the visitor could stop to visit in Metekhi (მეტეხი in Georgian). In this small town with people there are two nice churches: Ghvtismshoblis Georgian Orthodox Church, a 12th century cross-in-square church with decorative motives on its façades, and that has a 19th century bell tower and fence too; and Kviratskhovlis Georgian Orthodox Church, a smaller hall church.

Ertatsminda Cathedral

Driving closer towards Trialeti Range there's Art-Villa Garikula, a 19th century palace that currently is used as a contemporary art center; continuing on the way it's located St. Giorgi Georgian Orthodox Church in Pavnisi, 9th-10th-century hall church that is known for its frescoes of high artistic value dated to the half-12th century. They are highlighted by the color harmony and the purity of line, representing religious scenes (including one of the oldest representations of George rescuing a youth from captivity in Christian art). In the village of Ertatsminda (ერთაწმინდა in Georgian), 230 inhabitants, is situated Ertatsminda Cathedral. This 13th century cross-in-square cathedral, similar to other churches from the 12th-13 centuries, that was used from the 17th century as crypt of the Saakadzes. Its main highlight are the large carved crosseses on all four sides and its portals are richly decorated, although the temple keeps some frescoes too.

 

Where can I eat in Mtskheta?

  Mtskheta is known because of lobio [ლობიო], a dish made with kidney beans that is usually eaten with Mchadi and marinated vegetables. It isn't a very large town and it has a humble but nice culinary offer but there are some places where eating in a good way such as the following Georgian food places: the restaurant Salobie [სალობიე] (Zahesi-Mtskhata-Kavtiskhevi-Gori Road), Ada Cafe (Sanapiro 5) or Old Tavern (Arsukidze).

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Posted in: Europe,Georgia

Tbilisi National Park

Tbilisi National Park (also know as თბილისის ეროვნული პარკი in Georgian) is a 380 km² park situated in Saguramo Range in Georgia, close to Tbilisi and the region of Mtskheta-Mtianeti. It was established in 1973 and is considered to be the oldest national park in the country. The historical town of Mtskheta lies outside of the western boundary and Tbilisi in the southern part of the park.

How do I arrive to Tbilisi National Park?

  Tbilisi National Park is quite well communicated because of its proximity to Mtskheta and Tbilisi.

• Bus: there are marshrutkas departing from Tbilisi and Mtskheta to Saguramo.
• Car: the main entrance to Tbilisi National Park is via Saguramo, that can be reached from places such as Mtskheta (aprox. 20 minutes), Bulachauri (aprox. 30 minutes), Tbilisi (aprox. 35 minutes), Kaspi (aprox. 40 minutes), Dusheti (aprox. 45 minutes), Gori (aprox. 1 hour), Tianeti (aprox. 1 hour 5 minutes), Pasanauri (aprox. 1 hour 15 minutes) or Stepantsminda (aprox. 2 hours 40 minutes) in Kazbegi National Park.

  Once in the Park the best ways to move around the park are the car or simply hiking.  

History

Tbilisi National Park is the first national park in Georgia, established in March 1973 as a result of the unification of Mamkodi Memorial Park and Gldani, Martkopi, Ghuleli, Tskhvarichamia forests, by the Central Committee of the Georgian Communist Party for the improvement of the conditions of recovery and rest of the workers. After some time it lost the status of a national park and in 2007, it was re-established.

What can I visit in Tbilisi National Park?

  Tbilisi National Park is a popular destination for Tbilisians to breath some fresh air and enjoy nature. In the following lines it will be explained what to do in the park according to the town or village where they are or the nearest one:    

• Mamkoda (მამკოდა in Georgian): 91 inhabitants village close to Gldaniskhevi river located in the southern part of the National Park, being one of the easiest ways to visit the park from Tbilisi.
  

  • St. Grigol Ghvtismetqvelis Georgian Orthodox Church: three-aisled basilica that was built in 9th-10th centuries, on the territory of the old cemetery.
    
  • Mamkoda is the starting point of  most of the routes and trails in Tbilisi National Park. One of them is Big Viewpoint Bike Trail (10.1 km), a short loop that goes along parts of an old road and that reaches Big Viewpoint, from where there's a beautiful panoramic view of Tbilisi. There are other longer and harder routes such as Mamkoda Difficult Bike Loop (38.5 km), a quite difficult route with ascents and descents that goes close to Mamkodi Monastery and passes next to Martkopi Monastery, having picturesque views of Tbilisi and the nature of the national park; and Mamkoda Medium Bike Loop (37.8 km), an easier version of the previous loop.
    
  • Mamkoda Monastery: monastery complex located on the outskirts of Mamkoda that was founded around the 9th century and whose origin is linked to David IV of Georgia, who greeted the local priest before one of his battles here. Most of its churches date back to the 19th century. One of its churches was blown up by Soviet authorities but the whole monastery was restored in 2006.
    
  • Vejini Complex: ruins of a complex with churches, agricultural buildings and a palace that dates back to 8th-9th centuries.
• One of the highlights of the national park is Martkopi Monastery, located into the woods. This a Georgian Orthodox monastery has a history that dates back to stylite practices (Christian ascetics who lived on pillars, preaching, fasting and praying) in the 6th century and is linked with one of the Thirteen Assyrian Fathers, Anton Martkopeli. Most of the existing structure of the monastery are from the 17th to the 19th century, process in which old Georgian murals and multilingual inscriptions (in Georgian, in Russian or in Greek) were lost, although it still has some nice frescoes. The main church was completely rebuilt in the mid-19th century because the medieval church was ruined and close there's a bell tower and Monk Anton's Pillar (structure that is believed to have served as a stylite hermitage in the last 15 years of the life of Anton Martkopeli).
• Outside the national park but very close to it, the visitor can arrive and visit Bochorma Fortress, a 10th century complex that consists of a castle and a domed dodecagonal church. The frescoes of its main church are in very poor conditions, dated to the early-12th century, and that church has some additions from the 17th and 18th centuries like the iconostasis or the belfry. Unfortunately almost all its structures are half-ruined or significantly damaged.
  
• The main settlements in the national park are connected via Zedazeni-Didveli-Mamkoda Trail (18.1 km), a trail linking Mamkoda and Saguramo that pass next to Zedani Monastery. In the way it can be found a park for healthy development of children, Mokolendi Park.
  
• Saguramo (საგურამო in Georgian): 1,921 inhabitants town in the eastern part of the national park, considered historical monument and the largest town in the park. It's also the birthplace of Davit Guramishvili, a poet who wrote some of the finest pieces of pre-Romantic Georgian literature.
  
  • Ilia Chavchavadze Museum (10-18 Mon-Fri; free): museum that houses photo and documentaries related to the life and work Ilia Chavchavadze, a famous Georgian writer and public figure that was the leader of the revival of the Georgian national movement in the second half of the 19th century. It has paintings, sculptures and items depicting his life and ethnography of Georgia.
  • Saguramo Georgian Orthodox Church: the small local church, that built in the late feudal era.
  • Close to Saguramo it can be visited Zedazeni Monastery, a Georgian Orthodox monastery that was founded in the 8th century in the place where Ioane Zedazneli, another of the Thirteen Assyrian Fathers, preached. In 1915-1922 the monastery was destroyed and, during the Soviet period, the monastery was fortified and cleaned. Jvari Monastery in Mtskheta can be seen from here too.
    
• Without any kind of doubt, the main natural attraction of Tbilisi National Park is Sabaduri Forest, a colourful forest with untouched nature. It's very beautiful in all seasons of the year, but especially in winter and autumn.
  

Frescoes inside Martkopi Monastery

Forest Sabaduri

Tsilkani Cathedral

Going north from Saguramo and Mtskheta there are some interesting sights. Only 15 km far from Saguramo, in the 3,590 inhabitants town of Tsilkani (წილკანი in Georgian), it can be found Tsilkani Cathedral. This domed-church belongs to the Georgian Orthodox church and it was originally built in the 4th century under king Bakar of Iberia, its first Christian king. The cathedral was the seat of bishops of Tsilkani. The temple has been repeatedly remodeled, becoming the current domed church in the 12th-13th centuries. The church is also associated with the monk Iese Tsilkneli (one of the Thirteen Assyrian Fathers), and his tomb is still preserved. It was also home of 15th to 18th centuries wall paintings and a venerated 9th century icon, the Virgin Hodegetria of Tsilkani (currently located in the Georgian National Museum in Tbilisi). Close to Tsilkani is located the village of Mchadijvari (მჭადიჯვარი in Georgian), 944 inhabitants, where it's located Mtavarangelozta Georgian Orthodox Church. It's a very nice 18th century domed-church (although first built in 1668) that is placed next to the remains of a former fortress that were destroyed by Daguestanis (Leks for Georgians) raids.

Views of Dusheti

Not far from here are located the Ruins of Zemo Kodistskaro Palace, remains of a 16th century complex that used to have a palace, a tower (the best preserved building of the complex), a church and several buildings.
In the way north it can be visited Bodorna Rock Column Natural Monument, a naturally suspended rock of 15m high that has a small cave that was used as a shelter by early Christian monks. Driving 33 km north from Mtskheta, the visitor can stop at Dusheti (დუშეთი in Georgian), a town with 6,167 inhabitants that used to be the capital of the Duchy of Aragvi (who ruled the Upper Aragvi Valley between the 13th and 18th centuries). The main things to see here are Amilakhvriantkari Georgian Orthodox Church in Dusheti (small and simple 18th century church built of cobblestone, that is falling into disrepair, with some graves that date back to as early as 1810s) and Chilashvili Fortress-Hall (small castle-hall built in 1800 for the Chilashvilis, a very wealthy family in Kakhetia, that contains all the characteristic elements of these constructions: a fence, towers, a house, a door church, gardens and vineyards). In the south of the municipality it can be enjoyed Bazaleti Lake, a small lake that is used for fish culture and its a popular recrational area too.

Ananuri Castle Complex

In the north of Dusheti (25 km far from the town), overlooking Zhinvali Reservoir, it's located Ananuri Castle Complex (9-20; free). This fortress by river Aragvi is a superb example of traditional Georgian architecture and historically it belonged to the eristavis of Duchy of Aragvi (until it was captured by the Duchy of Ksani, then ending up in the hands of King Teimuraz II of Kakheti). The fortress consist of two castles joined by a crenellated curtain wall, with the lower fortification being mostly in ruins. The main highlight from the upper fortification is Khevsuruli Tower. Within the complex it can be found two 17th century church: Ghvtismshobeli Church (a Georgian Orthodox church that has its exterior walls covered with wonderful stone carvings, and some nice 17th-18th centuries frescoes) and Ghvtaebis Church (church that has the graves of some of the Dukes of Aragvi and a stone baldaquin erected by the widow of the Duke Edishera). From the tallest of the fortress towers and the battlements there are fine views of the complex and the nearby reservoir. The complex is today a very popular stop on the Georgian Military Highway and has been on the tentative list to be named a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2007.

Where can I eat in Tbilisi National Park?

There aren't many places to eat within Tbilisi National Park and it's probably a good idea to eat in Mtskheta or in Tbilisi. But there's an interesting wine cellar in Saguramo, Marani Sevsamora [მარანი სევსამორა] (Sevsamora) that offers touristic, educational and research activities too.

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Posted in: Europe,Georgia,National Park