Travel Guide Motsameta

Motsameta Monastery is the other great site in the Kutaisi region, 6 km from the city. More isolated than Guelati, if not worth it for the architecture, its location is literally incredible. The monastery is perched on a rocky peak surrounded by mountains, at the exit of a boxwood forest, in a 70 degree bend of the Tskhaltsitelia River. The name of the river literally means "the water is red". This name and the monastery itself are directly linked by history. In the 8th century, the Arabs invaded the region. The monastery of Motsameta was founded in the 7th century. Arab armies massacred the inhabitants, including the Dukes of Argveti, the brothers David and Konstantine Mkheidze. The bodies of the brothers were thrown into the river, hence its name "red". But legend has it that lions went out to retrieve the bodies and bring them back to the church. The ossuary of the martyrs was kept there. The present church dates from the 18th century and is very much influenced by Catholic architecture, especially the interior. Literally surrounded by the precipice, the church has a superb location and offers unforgettable views of the canyon. On the cliffs on the other side of the river, down below, you can see caves. It is said that this is where the martyred brothers were thrown into the river by the Arabs. The martyrdom of David and Konstantin is at the heart of the whole spirituality of Motsameta. According to tradition, their bones are kept in the side altar of the church (right side), which is shaped like a table. It is said that if one crawls three times under it, a wish will be granted. This is the main activity of visitors to the monastery. The monks' dwellings, all around the church, are half suspended in the void. Outside any inhabited area, Motsameta gives the impression of a tiny fortress in the middle of a vast wilderness - yet the site is only a few kilometres from the country's second largest city.