Gelati Monastery

გელათის მონასტერი

A UNESCO World Heritage monastery founded by King David the Builder in 1106, renowned for its dazzling medieval mosaics and frescoes. It was a leading center of learning and science in medieval Georgia and remains one of the country's most important cultural monuments.

Things to do

• Admire the Virgin Mary mosaic — Marvel at the dazzling gold-ground mosaic of the Theotokos in the apse of the main Church of the Nativity of the Virgin, one of the finest surviving in the Orthodox world.
• Explore the main cathedral frescoes — Step inside to see centuries of layered wall paintings, including portraits of Georgian kings and religious scenes spanning the 12th to 18th centuries.
• Visit the tomb of King David the Builder — See the burial place of the monastery's founder at the southern gate, where his gravestone was famously laid at the entrance so visitors would step over it.
• See the Gelati Academy ruins — Walk through the remains of the medieval academy, a leading center of philosophy and science once called a 'second Athens'.
• Photograph the bell tower and spring — Visit the standalone bell tower built over a small sacred spring on the monastery grounds.
• Combine with Motsameta Monastery — Take a short drive to the nearby cliff-top Motsameta Monastery for dramatic views over the Tskaltsitela River gorge.
• Enjoy panoramic Imereti views — Take in the sweeping vista over the wooded hills and valleys surrounding the hilltop complex above Kutaisi.

Food to try

• Khachapuri Imeruli — The classic round cheese-filled bread of the Imereti region, made with local sulguni cheese and best eaten hot.
• Kubdari — A spiced meat-filled bread from the neighboring Svaneti highlands, seasoned with the aromatic blend Svanetian salt.
• Ojakhuri — A hearty pan of fried pork and potatoes seasoned with herbs, a beloved home-style Georgian dish found in Kutaisi taverns.
• Georgian wine tasting — Sample amber and red wines from Imereti's vineyards, made with indigenous grapes like Tsolikouri and Otskhanuri Sapere.
• Churchkhela — A candle-shaped sweet of nuts dipped in thickened grape juice, sold by roadside vendors near the monastery.

Local customs & good to know

• Dress modestly to enter — Women should cover their heads and wear skirts (wraps are usually provided at the entrance), and both men and women must cover their shoulders and legs.
• Respect it as an active site — Gelati is a functioning place of worship and pilgrimage, so keep quiet, avoid photographing worshippers, and check whether photography is permitted inside.
• Free entry but bring cash — Admission to the monastery is free, but small donations, candles, and nearby vendors are cash-only in Georgian lari.
• Combine with a Kutaisi base — Gelati is about 11 km from Kutaisi and pairs well with a half-day trip including Motsameta and the Bagrati Cathedral.

Nearby

• Bagrati Cathedral — 5 km
• Kutaisi — 6 km
• Sataplia Nature Reserve — 8 km
• Tskaltubo — 15 km