Alaverdi - Shuamta | Travel in Georgia

The old Shuamta monastery is located 7 km from Telavi in the outskirts of the forest. It consists of three churches and is covered with a basilica of the 5th century Christian architecture, built with cobble stone.

Near it, there is a cross-domed, brick-built new Shuamta temple dating back to the 16th century, which was renovated by King Erekle II..

Akhali Shuamta - Kakhuni Monastery was built in the middle of the 16th century during the reign of Levan 2 by his wife Queen Tinatini, who became a nun and is buried here.

The Alaverdi temple complex is located in the Alazni valley, against the backdrop of snowy mountains, the monastery dates back to the 6th century and is one of the largest church buildings and cultural monuments.

Many historical buildings are located on the territory of the temple complex: St. George's Cathedral, gate, palace, palace wall, belfry, cellar, bath.

The first settlement on the territory of modern Telavi dates back to the Late Bronze Age and developed in the Hellenistic period, while a city-type settlement was formed in the Antiquity.

In the 12th century, it became one of the important trade centers and was given the status of a city

As a result of architectural excavations, underground tombs of the 1st and 2nd centuries AD have been discovered

Notable in Telavi is the Church of God dating back to the 5th-6th centuries, as well as the ruins of the 11th century castle wall, The ruins of the castle wall, a tower-like building with a chapel on the first floor has been preserved

The center of the city is decorated with the Baton Castle, the monument of King Erekle II and many other sights.

The village of Tsinandali has been known for centuries as the homeland of the Chavchavadze family, where Alexander Chavchavadze, a 19th-century novelist and the founder of the Tsinandali wine cellar, was born. This is where the European-made wine production technology was laid.

Today, a unique wine collection is stored in the cellar, which includes about 16,500 bottles, as well as Saperavi bottled by Alexander in 1841..

Located on 12 hectares, the unique Tsinandli garden, decorated by invited European decorators, has a variety of exotic plants including: Japanese holly, quince, sweet hovenia, persimmon, olive, paper tree, New Zealand fruit, chestnut, shinji, conifers.

Fruits, Chestnuts, Shingles, Conifers, Cork Oak, Camphor Tree, Laurel, Horse Chestnut, Black Wood, Cut Wood, Leather, etc

The terraced layout of the buildings is a rare one, which combines castle houses and residential tower buildings in one complex.