Alaverdi Monastery

Kakheti’s most visually impressive monastery (in my humble opinion), Alaverdi is the second-tallest religious building in Georgia after Tbilisi’s Sameba Cathedral. Its heavy figure looms on the horizon as you cross the river heading towards the mountains. It’s even more beautiful up close. The monastery was built in the 11th century on the site of an earlier church established by one of the 13 Assyrian Fathers who played a pivotal role in spreading Orthodox Christianity throughout Georgia. (You might have already heard of another Assyrian monk, David Gareja, who established a famous cave monastery in the region.) Between the main cathedral building and the surrounding defensive wall there is a palace, an old bath house, a graveyard and a vineyard. Grapes grown here are pressed for wine sold under the Alaverdi Monastery Cellar brand; the label proudly bears the tagline ‘Since 1011’. Natural honey sold under the name Taplikatsi is also produced here – you can see the small apiary at the front of the complex. Directly across the road from the monastery there is a small shop/restaurant where you can taste these products along with locally made matsoni yogurt.. Fortress-style monastery with a vineyard Monastery with fortress-style walls, built in 11th century, with an on-site vineyard for winemaking.