Shio Mgvime Monastery (Region of Mtskheta-Mtianeti)
Shio Mgvime Monastery (Georgian: შიომღვიმეს მონასტერი). The monastery complex is one of the outstanding architectural monuments of the early feudal period of Georgia. It was founded in the 6th century by the monk Shio, known as Shio Mgvimeli (Georgian: შიო მღვიმელი), one of the thirteen Assyrian fathers. who spent the last two years of his life in a dark cave in the middle of the monastery and was buried there, according to his will. This is where the name Shio Mgvime comes from, which translates as “Shio Cave”. The monastery quickly became the largest monastic community, and by the end of the 6th century it numbered about 2,000 monks. The monastery was a center of culture and education in Ancient Georgia. The monastery library contained a rich collection of Georgian manuscripts. From the 6th to the beginning of the 12th century, the monastery was under the direct patronage of the Patriarch. In the 12th century, David IV made the monastery the property of the Georgian kings.
The complex includes: Church of St. John the Baptist (6th century), Assumption Church of St. Mary (Upper Church) (11th-12th centuries), refectory (12th century), chapel (12th century), bell tower (13th century). To the north of the monastery, on the bare slopes of the Sarkine ridge (Georgian: სარკინე), there are more than 100 caves that have been used by monks for living since the early Middle Ages. Several horizontal rows were created, including 3-4 caves. The caves, located in one row, are connected to each other by tunnels or balcony passages. In the caves, they climbed vertical tunnels and wooden stairs. An aqueduct several kilometers long, leading to the monastery in a mountainous area, speaks of a very high level of engineering art of that time. Throughout its existence, Shio-Mgvime was repeatedly subjected to destructive raids and devastation, but each time it was revived. At the end of the 19th century, Shio-Mgvime was completely renovated. Now it is operational and still attracts pilgrims.
Kura River Gorge (Georgian: მტკვრის ხეობა ), Mtskheta Municipality (Georgian: მცხეთის მუნიციპალიტეტი)