Church of the 16th century in Kakheti - Gremi Orthodox Cathedral is on the list of attractions to see in Georgia.

Gremi is a Georgian Orthodox Cathedral, charming with its extraordinary grandeur. Location: Kakheti region, Kvareli city, on a high mountain.

In the 16th century, on the initiative of Tsar Levan of Kakheti, a castle and churches were built on the mountain, and at its base a prosperous city of merchants grew, whose population exceeded 100 thousand people. The same tsar declared Gremi the capital of the Kingdom of Kakheti.

In 1565, the Archangel Temple was erected on the same mountain and the Archangel Monastery was opened. Tsar Levan of Kakheti died in 1574 and was buried in the same Archangel Temple. The painting of the temple was completed in 1577.

The reign of King Levan was quite serene in terms of wars, and therefore, under his rule, the kingdom received tangible progress in terms of economy and noticeable stability. There is evidence that the famous Silk Road partially ran through Gremi at that time, and this circumstance successfully affected the prosperity of the city, which even then represented the most beautiful places in Georgia.

Unfortunately, the history of the Gremi was short, about 150 years in total. By the beginning of the 17th century, it was destroyed to the state of ruins by the attack of the Persian Shah Abbas I the Great. After these terrible events, the city was never fully restored, and closer to the middle of the 17th century, the capital of the state was moved by the Kakhetian rulers to Telavi, and the city itself was forgotten.