Georgia - Historical Monuments of Mtskheta

Historical Monuments of Mtskheta (1994)
Georgia

Georgia 1993. Definitive stamp. Jvary Monastery in Mtskheta.

Georgia 2004. Jvari Monastery in Mtskheta.

The historic churches of Mtskheta, former capital of Georgia, are outstanding examples of medieval religious architecture in the Caucasus. They show the high artistic and cultural level attained by this ancient kingdom.

Georgia 1993. Definitive stamp. Jvary Monastery at Mtskheta. The stamp is part of a series of seven stamps "Places of Worship". The series exists also in an imperforate version.
Georgia 2004. Jvari Monastery, built in the 6th century, with UNESCO-emblem.

Historical Georgian paganism was connected with the moon, and the highest god in Georgian pantheon was the idol [image] of Armazi, the Moon-God. According to Georgian chronicles it was a figure of a soldier, made of gold, 30 meters high, with green eyes and a sword in the right hand. Armazi was the highest ranking god of the Georgians from IV BC to IV AD., a figure of a soldier [Moon-God] erected on the hill in Mtskheta. Other idols were Gatsi, Gaime, and Zadeni.

Georgia 1995. Sheetlet containing 1 stamp. Jvary Monastery in Mtskheta.

Georgia 2000. Saint Nino (Hio-Mghwime). Icon.

When Saint Nino, the enlightener of Georgia, entered Mtskheta, the capital city of the Kartli Kingdom, she witnessed the celebration of Armazi and began praying.

By the Grace of God the idol was burnt by lightning.

Georgia 2000. Saint Nino (Hio-Mghvime, icon 17-18 century). From the series "2000 years of Christianity".

At the place where Armazi was originally erected, was later built Jvari Monastery in the VI-VII centuries. In the 4th century AD Christianity was introduced in Georgia, and became the state religion. Today most of the Georgian population practice Orthodox Christianity. Religious minorities are Islam, Armenian Apostolic Faith, Jewish Faith, and Roman Catholicism.

Georgia 1995. Sheetlet containing 1 stamp depicting the Jvary Monastery in Mtskheta.

Mtskheta is one of oldest cities of Georgia (in Kartli province of Eastern Georgia), near the present capital Tblisi. Mtskheta was a capital of the Georgian Kingdom of Iberia during the 3rd-5th centuries AD. It was here that Georgians accepted Christianity in 317, and Mtskheta still remains the headquarters of the Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church.

In Mtskheta exists also the Armaztsikhe fortress (3rd century BC), the Armaztsikhe Acropolis (late 1st millennium BC), the fragmentary remains of a royal palace (1st-3rd century AD), the Samtavro Monastery (11th century), and the fortress bebris Tsikhe (14th century). Mtskheta is now the administrative center of the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region.

Georgia 2004. Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta.

Georgia 2004. Samtavro Monastery in Mtskheta.

Georgia 2004. Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, built in the 11th century, with UNESCO-emblem.
Georgia 2004. Samtavro Monastery, built in the 1th century, with UNESCO-emblem.

Along with Jvari Monastery in Mtskheta (6th century), Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (11th century) are some of the most significant monuments of the Georgian Christian architecture.

Sources and links:

Other World Cultural Heritage sites in Georgia (on this web site). For more information about Georgia, please refer to the UNESCO-listing, Georgia-section

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