MTSKHETA WOULD HAVE COME AS A SURPRISE to westbound travelers on the Silk Road, a Christian outpost in the Muslim world. Its strategic location at the intersection of the Aragvi and Mtkvari rivers attracted the likes of Alexander the Great and Pompey as well as Armenians, Persians, Greeks, Jews, Tartars and Europeans throughout the ages. Christianity came to Georgia in the 4th Century, making it one of the oldest Christian nations.
On duty, Svetitskhavelli Cathedral
We hired a taxi to take us to Mtskheta to visit the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles, the largest in medieval Georgia. Georgian drivers are aggressive by nature and the right-hand drive cars make the trip seem even more dangerous. But no harm, no foul, as they say.
Fresco, Svetitskhavelli Cathedral
We spent a nice hour or so wandering through the town and exploring the cathedral, dressed in borrowed robes to cover our bare legs. The original wooden structure is long gone and the present cathedral is from the 11th Century. The interior is soot-blackened from century’s worth of votive candles but the frescoes are still vibrant.
