Bagrati Cathedral

Bagrati Cathedral tickets: which one to buy

Bagrati Cathedral stands on Ukimerioni Hill above the city of Kutaisi, in western Georgia, and entry is free. It is one of the most important monuments of medieval Georgian architecture, and it offers views over Kutaisi and the Rioni river. Kutaisi is the second largest city in Georgia, with an airport served by budget flights, and it is a good base for visiting the Gelati Monastery, a UNESCO site about eleven kilometres away, the Motsameta Monastery on a cliff, the Prometheus Cave and the Sataplia nature reserve with dinosaur footprints.

Tours from Kutaisi combine these sights in a day. The cathedral is a short walk or taxi ride from the city centre. It is an active Orthodox church, and visitors should dress modestly, with women covering their heads. Taxis from Kutaisi city centre to the cathedral take about five minutes.

Visiting Bagrati Cathedral: what to see

The cathedral was built in the early eleventh century, completed around 1003, during the reign of King Bagrat III, the first king of united Georgia, after whom it is named. It was a masterpiece of Georgian architecture, but it was blown up by Ottoman troops in 1692, leaving the cathedral roofless and ruined for three centuries. Along with Gelati, it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. A controversial reconstruction between 2009 and 2012, which added a modern roof, steel elements and a lift, led UNESCO to remove Bagrati from the World Heritage List in 2017, while Gelati remains listed. Today, the cathedral is a functioning church again, with a restored dome and interior.

The ruins of the earlier palace and fortress surround the cathedral on the hill, and the carved stone decoration of the original building survives in places. The cathedral's original carvings, including decorative stonework around the windows and a relief of animals, survive in the lower walls. The restored interior is simple, with a modern iconostasis and icons. The cathedral's dome rises high above the hill. The ruins of the royal palace nearby include foundations and walls. An inscription on the north wall records the date of construction in old Georgian script. The hill's park has benches and viewpoints. The cathedral's bell tower was also rebuilt. A path leads from the cathedral down to the old town and the market.

Bagrati Cathedral opening hours and the best time to go

The cathedral is open daily, from morning until evening. Western Georgia has a humid, subtropical climate, with warm summers and mild winters; spring and autumn are the best seasons. The views from the hill are especially beautiful at sunset. Orthodox holidays bring services and congregations. The Kutaisi city centre, with the Colchis fountain and the market, is a short walk down the hill. Allow about half an hour for the cathedral, and continue to Gelati Monastery, with its famous mosaics. Gelati Monastery, a short drive away, holds a famous mosaic of the Virgin and the tomb of King David the Builder.