Mghvimevi Monastery

Mghvimevi Monastery tickets: which one to buy

The Mgvimevi Monastery stands in a gorge on the edge of the town of Chiatura, in the Imereti region of western Georgia, and entry is free. Its name means cave, and its churches are built into the rock face of the cliff. Chiatura is a manganese mining town, famous for its network of Soviet-era cable cars, some of which have been modernised, and many visitors come to see them.

The monastery is often combined with the cable cars and with the Katskhi Pillar, a limestone column about forty metres high with a small church on top, about twenty minutes' drive away. A car or taxi from Kutaisi, about an hour and a half away, is the easiest way to reach the area. The monastery is active, and visitors should dress modestly, with women covering their heads. Marshrutkas from Kutaisi to Chiatura run several times a day, and taxis in Chiatura can take you to the monastery.

Visiting Mghvimevi Monastery: what to see

The monastery dates from the medieval period, with its main church built in the thirteenth century, and it was built into a natural cave in the cliff above the Kvirila river. The complex includes the main church, dedicated to the Virgin, whose facade is carved with ornamental decoration, a smaller church, and cells cut into the rock, connected by stairs and passages. The rock overhangs the buildings, protecting them from rain and giving the monastery a dramatic appearance. Inside, the churches preserve fragments of frescoes. The monastery was abandoned during the Soviet period and later returned to monastic use. From the terraces, visitors can look down into the gorge and across to the town, where the cable cars cross the valley on their wires.

The setting, combining a medieval monastery with the industrial landscape of the mining town, is unusual. The main church's facade is decorated with carved crosses and interlaced patterns. A small bell tower stands beside the church. The monastery's cells are carved into the cliff, with doors and windows opening onto the gorge. The stairs leading up to the monastery pass under the overhanging rock. Nuns live at the monastery today and look after the churches. The frescoes inside the main church include images of saints and the Virgin. Water drips from the rock above in wet weather. The gorge below is green with trees and bushes. The monastery's courtyard has benches and flowers. The view of Chiatura's cable cars from the terrace is striking. Candles lit by visitors burn in the church.

Mghvimevi Monastery opening hours and the best time to go

The monastery is open daily. Western Georgia is humid, and spring and autumn are the most pleasant seasons for visiting. Summer can be hot. The cable cars of Chiatura operate on weekdays, with reduced service at weekends. The Katskhi Pillar's church is not open to visitors, but it can be seen from the base. Allow about half an hour for the monastery, and combine it with a ride on the Chiatura cable cars and a visit to the Katskhi Pillar. The Katskhi Pillar, a short drive from Chiatura, has a small church built on top of a forty-metre limestone column.