Bagrati Cathedral

Bagrati Cathedral

Bagrati Cathedral was built in honor of King Bagrat III, the first monarch of a unified Georgia, with construction starting in the late 10th century and completed in the early 11th century. Parts of the structure were destroyed by the Ottomans in 1691, but the ruins remain in the center of Kutaisi. The main buildings of Gelati Monastery were constructed between the 12th and 17th centuries. This is a well-preserved architectural complex featuring exquisite mosaics and magnificent murals.

Bagrati Cathedral and Gelati Monastery represent the flourishing of medieval Georgian architecture and were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994 under criterion C (iv). Bagrati Cathedral, located in Kutaisi, is a milestone of medieval Georgian culture; built between 1001 and 1008, the cathedral is a domed cruciform structure adorned with rich stone carvings and filled with murals. Gelati Monastery (12th–18th centuries) is a gem of medieval art. For centuries, it served as a major educational center for the Georgian people. Its founder, King David, implemented a series of ambitious policies, establishing a powerful feudal Georgian kingdom that influenced neighboring countries, making the Kingdom of Georgia a dominant force in the Near East.