Status first: these are ruins. There is no working church here, only the remains of a building dedicated to the Ascension. A visit is worth making for exactly that, the trace of a church site rather than a service.
The village name speaks: tsiteli khevi translates as the red ravine. In Georgian place naming red often refers to the colour of rock or soil, and the clay slopes of the Imeretian foothills do run reddish. The ruins are known by Vanigani yet stand by Tsitelkhevi, south of Kutaisi. The same ravine holds a working church of Saint George in the Kakhori quarter.
Treat the ruins with care: do not climb on the masonry, take nothing away and move nothing. The site is open and can be approached at any time.
📍 In brief
- These are ruins rather than a working church: no services are held here
- The Tsiteli ravine south of Kutaisi, western Imereti
- Tsiteli khevi translates as the red ravine, after the colour of the rock
🚗 Getting there
- Landmark - the surroundings of Tsitelkhevi village south of Kutaisi, western Imereti
- The Build Route button will show the exact way
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