Tour in Inner Kartli
Tour in Inner Kartli
Route: Tbilisi-Mtskheta-Gori-Uflistsikhe-Tbilisi
Svetitskhoveli - Svetitskhoveli Cathedral is located in Mtskheta. The current building is chronologically third structure on the site. Georgia enounced Christianity as its official religion in 337 AD. The first Christian King Mirian was advised by St. Nino, who had brought Christ's teaching to Georgia, to build a church over the grave with Christ's shirt. A Lebanese cedar growing on the grave was cut down and used to make seven punts. The workers managed to erect only three of them. The seventh post that was also the biggest and illuminated did not touch the ground, but hang in the air. It was illuminated light and radiated a nice fragrance. People collected chrism from the piece of wood and the chrism would cure all kinds of diseases. This is why the post was called "Sveti Tskhoveli" - a live-giving post. later the name was also given to the Cathedral.
Jvari is one of the masterpieces of Georgian architecture. It is built on a hill near Mtskheta overlooking the estuary of two river - the Mtkvari and Aragvi. There are numerous other religious building in and outside Georgia, which are similar to this type of architecture; However, there is nothing older and more complete than Mtskheta Cross. It is now listed as one of the World Heritage sites by UNESCO.
The Joseph Stain Museum is a museum in Gori, Georgia dedicated to the life of Joseph Stalin,the leader of Soviet Union, who was born in Gori. The Museum retained until recent years its Soviet-era characteristics. The exhibits are divided into six halls in roughly chronological order, and contain many items actually of allegedly owned by Stalin, including some of his office furniture, his personal effects and gifts made to him over the years. There is also much illustrations by way of documentation, photographs, paintings and newspaper articles. The display concludes with one of nine copies of the death mask of Stalin taken shortly after his death.
Uflistsikhe is an ancient rock-hewn town in Inner Kartli. It dates back to the 1st millennium BC. The town used to be a place where the foreman of Inner Kartli resided. This is why the place called Uplitsikhe, meaning a lord's fortress. Nowadays Uflitsikhe is one of the most significant tourist attractions. There are caves of different sizes and types. At the summit of the complex is a Christian basilica. Some other attractions of the site are fragments of roads carved in stone, defensive stitches and secret tunnels.