Gergeti Trinity Church (Region of Mtskheta – Mtianeti)
Trinity Church in Gergeti (Gergeti Trinity) (Georgian: გერგეთის სამება) – One of the symbols of Christian Georgia, built in the 14th century. Gergeti Trinity strikes the imagination with both its rugged charm and the wild beauty of the place. It stands literally above the clouds at an altitude of 2,170 meters, at the foot of Mount Kazbegi (Georgian: ყაზბეგი), in the Georgian village of Gergeti, right above the village of Stepantsminda (Georgian: სტეფანწმინდა). This temple is an outstanding example of Georgian church architecture in its composition and harmonious fusion with the landscape. Situated on the top of a mountain, it is visible from afar and looks very impressive from the Terek (Tergi) (Georgian: თერგი) valley.
Gergeti Trinity is the main chapel of the region Khevi (Georgian: ხევი) and the only domed church in the Georgian highlands. The architectural complex is surrounded by a fence and consists of a domed church Sameba (XIV century), a bell tower (IXIV century) and a traditional for highlanders room “sabcho” (XV century), where elders gathered to solve the most important issues for the highland tribes. The facades of the temple and two-storey bell tower, as well as the domed drum are decorated with carved ornaments. According to Vakhushti Bagrationi, during the wars the treasures of the Mtskheta Patriarchate and the first Christian cross of St. Nino the Equal-to-the-Apostles were kept here. The church is erected against the background of eternal glaciers Kazbegi – the same mountain from ancient Greek myths, where the gods chained Prometheus for stealing fire for people.
Gergeti village (Georgian: სოფელი გერგეთი), Kazbegi Municipality (Georgian: ყაზბეგის მუნიციპალიტეტი)