Jruchi Monastery in Sachkhere Municipality is now in ruins: the 1991 Racha earthquake almost completely destroyed the church, though only part of the wall remains.
The monastery was founded in the 10th or 11th century and was rebuilt several times, reaching its final form in 1846. From the late 15th century, it was the ancestral monastery of the Tsereteli princes. In the Middle Ages, a large library was kept here: the Jruchi Gospels originate from here, the first dating to 936, the second to the second half of the 12th century. Both manuscripts are housed at the Korneli Kekelidze Institute of Manuscripts in Tbilisi. In 2007, the monastery was added to the list of immovable cultural monuments of national significance.
It's worth visiting for the history and the view from the mountain, not for the preserved architecture.
🕍 What to see
The remains of the Church of St. George, fragments of masonry and inscriptions, the slope of the Likhi Ridge, and the Jruchuli Gorge.
💰 Free or paid
Admission is free.
Have you been to Jruchuli? Leave a review: tell us if the road is passable by car and what remains of the walls.
