Martkopi Monastery in Kvemo Kartli: History & Route

⛪ Active monastery · ⏱️ 2–3 hours · 📍 Kvemo Kartli, Gardabani municipality, 25 km from Tbilisi

🧭 Who this trip is for

Martkopi Monastery is for those who want to get out of Tbilisi for a few hours and reach somewhere where history doesn't hang on signs but stands in stone. Fifteen centuries is not just a figure — it's a column in which the monastery's founder spent the last 15 years of his life, and walls that survived raids by the Golden Horde and Tamerlane. This article is for anyone who wants to know what to look for here and why it's worth making the trip.

📖 History worth knowing before you arrive

Before the 6th century the village on this site was called Akriani — meaning "stone place." There was already a temple here, founded by Vakhtang Gorgasali. But the monastic story began differently.

In the early 6th century, one of the Thirteen Assyrian Fathers arrived here — Syrian monks who spread across Georgia as missionaries. His name was Anthony. He lived as a hermit — in Georgian, "martkopeli." The village and monastery took their name from this word.

Word spread of his miraculous deeds. Followers began arriving. This was the beginning of Martkopi as a monastery.

The monastery's greatest loss was the Acheiropoietos Icon of the Saviour. Anthony brought it personally from Edessa. The monastery's secondary name — "of the Deity" — comes from this icon. In 1395, during Timur Leng's invasion, the icon was looted. It has never been found.

In 1265 Khan Berka and the Golden Horde destroyed the city of Rustavi. The Episcopal centre was moved here — and the monastery became more important still for the region. A school was established later and functioned for several centuries, until 1752 when the Leki raiders attacked.

🏚️ What happened in the 20th century

The most unexpected chapter — the Soviet one. In 1934 the monastery was closed. Over the following decades it served as: a shelter for homeless children (1950s–60s), then a rest house for Factory No. 31. Monastic life returned only in 1989 — since then the Abkhazian Eparchy has been based here.

There was another tragedy: in his own cell on 26 August 1918, the Patriarch of All Georgia, Kirion II, was murdered. He had lived and worked here — the monastery remained the centre of Episcopal life until the early 19th century.

🏛️ What's here: the architectural complex

For a mountain monastery, it's substantial. On the grounds:

• The Church of the Deity — the central building. Originally much larger; raids destroyed it repeatedly. What stands now is a later, smaller church built in its place.
• The Church of the Mother of God, the Church of St George, the Church of Father Anton — three additional churches on the grounds.
• Bell tower and monastic buildings.
• Defensive wall with loopholes — 1,400 metres long. Only ruins remain, but they give a sense of how fortified this place once was.
• The column of Anthony Martkopeli — beside the main church. The monastery's founder spent the last 15 years of his life in this column. His grave and sepulchre are there too.

One visitor noticed a hole in the wall left by a fallen projectile — a living mark of everything this monastery has endured.

🗺️ Route around the grounds

1️⃣ Enter through the main gate and take in the ruins of the defensive wall around the perimeter — 1,400 metres of history.

2️⃣ Walk to the Church of the Deity — the central building of the monastery. Look at it from outside and inside.

3️⃣ Find the column and grave of Anthony Martkopeli beside the main church.

4️⃣ Visit the three other churches: the Mother of God, St George and Father Anton — each with its own history.

5️⃣ Climb to the bell tower and look out over the grounds.

6️⃣ Step to the edge of the grounds — mountain views open through the trees. Particularly beautiful in autumn.

💬 What visitors say

"Visiting the monastery was like stepping back in time. The rich history, from its founding on an ancient religious site to its rebirth as an educational centre, is fascinating. Standing beside the tomb and pillar of Anton Martkopeli, you feel a deep connection to the past."

"The history of the Martkopi Monastery impresses with its many upheavals — from its founding on the site of a pagan temple to becoming an episcopal centre, then being destroyed and eventually restored."

"You should probably visit this place in autumn — the building hides among trees and coloured leaves."

🏁 Is it worth going

Twenty-five kilometres from Tbilisi — and fifteen centuries of history in one place. The Golden Horde, Tamerlane, the Soviet period, the murder of a patriarch, a revival. Martkopi has survived all of it and continues to function. This is not a museum but a living place. That's exactly why it's worth the trip.

ℹ️ Martkopi is an active religious community. Modest dress and quiet behaviour inside the churches are required. Check visiting hours in advance. Information is current at the time of publication.

🏔️ Nearby attractions

Read also

• Gudarekhi Monastery: Bell Tower and Historic Complex
• Gardabani Sights: Red Bridge and Martkopi Monastery
• Shavnabada Monastery in Kvemo Kartli: St. George's Sanctuary