This large church, now part of a nunnery, was built in the 1130s. King Mirian and Queen Nana are buried in its southwest corner, under a stone canopy. The little church in the grounds, Tsminda Nino, dates back to the 4th century.
Samtavro Church
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.32 MILES
This extraordinary (and for its time, enormous) building dates from the 11th century, early in the golden age of Georgian church architecture. It has an…
27.58 MILES
This once enormous cave city sits 10km east of Gori above the north side of the Mtkvari River. Between the 6th century BC and 1st century AD, Uplistsikhe…
11.91 MILES
Dominating the Old Town skyline, Narikala dates right back to the 4th century, when it was a Persian citadel. Most of the walls were built in the 8th…
11.04 MILES
For most visitors the highlight here is the hall of wonderful canvases by Georgia’s best-known painter Pirosmani (Niko Pirosmanashvili, 1862–1918),…
11.72 MILES
Tbilisi's most exhilarating ride is its massively popular cable car, which swings from the south end of Rike Park high over the Mtkvari River and the Old…
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0.95 MILES
Visible for kilometres around on its hilltop overlooking Mtskheta from the east, Jvari is, to many Georgians, the holiest of holies. It stands where King…
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11.2 MILES
The major highlight of the impressive national museum is the basement Archaeological Treasury, displaying a wealth of pre-Christian gold, silver and…
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11.81 MILES
The landmark Metekhi Church, and the 1960s equestrian statue of King Vakhtang Gorgasali beside it, occupy the strategic rocky outcrop above the Metekhi…
Nearby attractions
0.32 MILES
This extraordinary (and for its time, enormous) building dates from the 11th century, early in the golden age of Georgian church architecture. It has an…
0.64 MILES
Mtskheta was an important place as capital of the Iverian kingdom well before St Nino arrived. At Armaztsikhe-Bagineti, on the south side of the Mtkvari…
0.95 MILES
Visible for kilometres around on its hilltop overlooking Mtskheta from the east, Jvari is, to many Georgians, the holiest of holies. It stands where King…
4. Open-Air Museum of Ethnography
9.92 MILES
This collection of traditional, mostly wooden houses, from all around Georgia, is spread over a wooded hillside with good views, and makes for an…
10.76 MILES
This beautiful conversion of the former Tbilisi Cadet Corps building has been given over to displays of work by the museum's founder, Zurab Tsereteli, the…
11.02 MILES
The national pantheon sits on the slopes of Mt Mtatsminda, on the route of a walking path down from Mtatsminda Park, and is the site of burial for many…
11.03 MILES
The amusement park on top of Mt Mtatsminda will interest children, but can also be a lot of fun for adults (check out the enormous Ferris wheel) and the…
11.04 MILES
For most visitors the highlight here is the hall of wonderful canvases by Georgia’s best-known painter Pirosmani (Niko Pirosmanashvili, 1862–1918),…