Motsameta Monastery

Motsameta Monastery is a small but dramatically situated monastery about 6 km northeast of Kutaisi, perched on a narrow promontory above the confluence of the Rioni and Tskhaltsitela rivers. It is dedicated to two 8th-century Georgian princes who were martyred for refusing to renounce Christianity, and is one of the most venerated pilgrimage sites in western Georgia.

The monastery is much smaller than Gelati and far less visited, which makes it a more intimate experience. The gorge setting — sheer cliffs dropping to the river on three sides — is spectacular. Motsameta can be combined with a Gelati visit easily; the two monasteries are about 4 km apart, connected by a road through the forest.

things to do sight historic
A story
Motsameta is named for the brothers David and Constantine Mkheidze, who were princes of the Argveti region in the 8th century. When the Arab general Murvan Kru invaded Georgia, the brothers refused to convert to Islam. They were tortured and thrown into the Rioni River. Their bodies, according to tradition, floated upstream to this spot — against the current — where the monastery was later built in their honour.