Mtskheta (Georgian: მცხეთა [mt͡sʰχetʰa]) is a city in the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region of Georgia. It is one of the oldest cities in the world that has been continuously inhabited. It is located about 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of Tbilisi, where the Kura and Aragvi rivers meet. Today, Mtskheta is a small provincial capital. However, for nearly 1,000 years until the 5th century AD, it was a large city with strong walls and an important economic and political center of the Kingdom of Iberia.

Because of its historical importance and its many churches and cultural landmarks, the "Historical Monuments of Mtskheta" was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994. As the birthplace and a major center of Christianity in Georgia, Mtskheta was named the "Holy City" by the Georgian Orthodox Church in 2014.

In 2016, the Historical Monuments of Mtskheta were placed under Enhanced Protection by UNESCO. This protection is part of a special plan created in 1999 under the 1954 Hague Convention, which aims to safeguard cultural sites during times of war.

Geography

Mtskheta is located in a lowland area surrounded by mountains. It is situated where the Kura and Aragvi rivers meet. The city is approached from the north by the Greater Caucasus mountains and from the south by the Lesser Caucasus mountains.

History

Archaeological evidence shows that people lived in Mtskheta from the 2nd millennium BC to the early 1st millennium AD. Burials from the Bronze Age (beginning of the 1st millennium BC) prove that Mtskheta was an important settlement during that time.

According to The Georgian Chronicles, Mtskheta was founded by Mtskhetos, the son of Kartlos, who is considered the ancestor of the Georgians. The city’s wall was built by Ardam, an ancestor of Nimrod. Another version, supported by many historians, says that Mtskheta was founded by the ancient Meschian tribes in the 5th century BC.

Mtskheta was the capital of the early Georgian Kingdom of Iberia from the 3rd century BC to the 5th century AD. The Georgian Chronicles say that Alexander the Great conquered the Kingdom of Iberia and its capital in the 4th century BC. However, some historians disagree with this. Later, a ruler chosen by Alexander the Great destroyed parts of Mtskheta’s walls, leaving only four fortresses, one of which is now called Armazi.

Ancient sources from the 4th to 3rd centuries BC describe Mtskheta as having several neighborhoods, including Armazis-tsikhe, Tzitzamuri, Jvari, and others. Like other Georgian towns, Mtskheta was divided into the city itself and a citadel.

Excavations and The Georgian Chronicles describe major construction during the Hellenistic period, including homes, palaces, and fortifications. King Parnavaz, the first Georgian king, built a new wall around Mtskheta in the early 3rd century BC. His son, Saurmag, strengthened the wall in the late 3rd to early 2nd century BC. In the late 2nd to early 1st century BC, King Parnajom improved relations with the Persians and invited Zoroastrian priests to live in Mtskheta. This may have led to the building of Zoroastrian temples, though no archaeological evidence of them has been found. The walls were later improved during the reign of Bartom in the 1st century BC and again by Aderki, who is often linked to Pharasmanes I. This king is connected to the arrival of the first Christian communities in Kartli and the arrival of the Holy Tunic in Mtskheta, brought from Jerusalem by local Jews.

At this time, Mtskheta was heavily fortified. Walls lined both sides of the Mtkvari River, and three forts protected the city. The main citadel, Armazi, on Mount Bagineti controlled the entrance from the south and east. Tsitsamuri, at the base of Mount Jvari, protected the north, and Sarkine guarded the west.

Mtskheta was an important center of early Christian activity, leading to the spread of Christianity in Iberia. Christianity became the state religion in 337 AD. Mtskheta remains the headquarters of the Georgian Orthodox Church. Around this time, Mtskheta was a culturally rich city. A gravestone found in the Samtavro necropolis, dated between the late 4th and early 5th centuries, has a Greek inscription that mentions Aurelius Acholis, the city’s main architect and artist.

After Georgia converted to Christianity, a small wooden church was built in the city’s center, later becoming the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. Archaeological work has uncovered parts of the original wooden church within the cathedral. By the 5th century AD, the small church could no longer serve the growing population, so King Vakhtang Gorgasali built a large basilica, Svetitskhoveli, dedicated to the Dormition of the Mother of God. This church remained until the 11th century. The first katolikos (head of the church) was elected in the 5th century, and his residence was in Svetitskhoveli in Mtskheta. By the 11th century, the basilica was too small, so Katolikos Melchizedek I built a new church on top of it.

In the early 6th century AD, King Dachi of Iberia, who succeeded Vakhtang I, moved the capital from Mtskheta to Tbilisi, as his father had wished. After this, Mtskheta’s importance declined, while Tbilisi grew. However, Mtskheta remained the place where most Georgian kings were crowned and buried until the end of the kingdom in the 19th century. Mtskheta suffered serious damage during the Umayyad Caliphate’s defeat of the Khazars between 736 and 739, and again when Timur conquered the area in the 15th century. These attacks reduced the city’s size, and by 1801, when Georgia became part of Russia, Mtskheta was little more than a village. Industrialization later improved the city’s economy.

The old city is located where the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers meet.

In recognition of its role in Georgian Christian history, Mtskheta was declared a “Holy City” by Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II of Georgia, following the written wish of his 11th-century predecessor, Melchizedek I of Georgia.

Monuments

Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (11th century), Samtavro Monastery (4th century), and Jvari Monastery (6th century) in Mtskheta are among the most important examples of Georgian Christian architecture. These structures are significant in the history of medieval architecture across the Caucasus region. Early inscriptions found at these sites provide valuable clues about the origins of the early Georgian alphabet. The Samtavro necropolis, a burial area located north of the monastery, dates back from the middle of the 3rd millennium BC to the 10th century.

Near Mtskheta, there are ruins of Armaztsikhe fortress (3rd century BC), Armaztsikhe acropolis (late 1st century BC), remains of a bridge called "Pompey's bridge" (believed to have been built by Roman soldiers under Pompey the Great in the 1st century BC), fragments of a royal palace (1st–3rd century AD), a tomb from the 1st century AD, and the fortress of Bebris tsikhe (14th century). The Institute of Archaeology and the garden of Mikheil Mamulashvili are also notable. A monument honoring sculptor Elena Machabeli is located nearby.

A mausoleum built for a wealthy woman from the 1st century AD was discovered near the Mtskheta train station. The structure resembles a house, with carefully crafted square-shaped stones and a triangular roof section. The roof was covered with tiles. Inside the mausoleum, archaeologists found a small bronze statue of a young man playing a flute.

Threats

The Historical Monuments of Mtskheta were on UNESCO's list of places in danger because the stone and painted artwork were seriously damaged. This damage threatened the site's future protection. They were taken off the list in 2016.

International relations

Mtskheta has sister city relationships with:

• Vagharshapat, Armenia (2016)
• Fındıklı, Turkey (2014)
• Leuville-sur-Orge, France (2001)
• Argos, Greece (1991)

General references

• Abashidze, Irakli. Editor of Georgian Encyclopedia. Volume IX. Published in Tbilisi, Georgia, in 1985.
• Amiranashvili, Shalva. History of Georgian Art. Published by Khelovneba in Tbilisi, Georgia, in 1961.
• Grigol Khantsteli. Chronicles of Georgia.
• Rosen, Roger. Georgia: A Sovereign Country of the Caucasus. Published by Odyssey Publications in Hong Kong in 1999. ISBN number 962-217-748-4.