Mtskheta is a small museum town which is located at about 20 km north of Tbilisi. The town itself and its surroundings are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is maybe the first place to visit by tourists taking a trip to Georgia. Having a unique history of more than 2.5 thousand years, it is called the “Second Jerusalem” and the spiritual center of Georgia. The name of one of the most revered Georgian saints, Nina of Cappadocia, is closely associated with Mtskheta, as well as the fact that Georgians officially adopted Christianity.
Tbilisi car rental
You can take a taxi or a bus to reach the place, but it would be much better to rent car in Tbilisi and travel by your own vehicle, because there are a lot of places to see in this town and your own transport will make your trip much more comfortable. I recommend hiring a car at GSS Car Rental, it’s a local Georgian company which has a lot of positive reviews and provides cars with a great reliability and plenty of additional services for an affordable price. You can just visit GSS website and make a reservation. You can also request a delivery of the vehicle at your hotel or have it at the airport.
Visiting Mtskheta
The rich history, picturesque location of the city – at the confluence of two rivers- Mtkvari and Aragvi made Mtskheta a real place of pilgrimage for tourists and locals. The main attractions of the city are the Svetitskhoveli and Jvari temples. In addition, you can see the Samtavro temple, the Antioch Church, Bebristsikhe, the archaeological museum, the Samtavis burial ground and other attractions.
Souvenir lovers will be able to satisfy their passion by walking from the car park to Svetitskhoveli along a luxurious, stylized antique street with souvenir shops where you can buy churchkhela, spices, various souvenirs, samples of local crafts, look into a jewelry workshop that produces Georgian cloisonné enamel, sit in a café and taste Georgian wines or chacha.
The main object for which people go to Mtskheta is the Patriarchal Cathedral-Svetitskhoveli, its name is translated from Georgian as the Life-giving Pillar.
For a thousand years Svetitskhoveli in Mtskheta was the main cathedral of Georgia. The name of the temple is associated with a legend that tells about the chiton of the Lord, bought and brought to Mtskheta by Rabbi Eloiz, who witnessed the crucifixion of Christ. The church was built at the beginning of the XI century, on the remains of the ancient church of St. Sidonia. The life-giving pillar (new, stone, built on the site of the old one) is located in the center of the cathedral.
To visit the temple a certain dress code must be observed, so there is an opportunity for visitors to take a skirt and a headscarf near the entrance.
There are a lot of remarkable places in Mtskheta and to visit them you will have to rent a SUV or an ordinary sedan and explore this ancient town. The car I have rented in Tbilisi at GSS Car Rental was in a great condition and made my trip comfortable. I can definitely recommend visiting this place if you are going to travel to Georgia and also advise taking a car for rent at GSS Car Rental.
