Martkopi monastery

To the north west of the capital of Georgia is the monastery of Martkopi.

The history of the monastery Martkopi

Like many monasteries in Georgia, Martkopi is built on top of a mountain. The mountain itself is surrounded by a deep gorge. The location is similar to the monastery Motsameta in Imereti.
It is believed that the monastery was founded in the 6th century by the Holy Father Anthony. Initially, Father Anthony traveled throughout Georgia and lived the life of a hermit. Over time, he had novices, and he settled in the Arian mountains.
After some time a church was built. The image of the Savior was kept in this church.

Martkopi monastery today

To date, the monastery has been restored. The central temple is painted with church frescoes.
Alas, in the old days, the image of the Savior was lost. The icon was hidden during the invasion of enemies. Since then, no one has been able to find it.
On the south side of the complex you can find the oldest building in the area. This is the tower that Antony built. In this tower, the holy father lived before the monastery was built.

How to get to the monastery Martkopi

In order to get maximum satisfaction from visiting Martkopi, we recommend to go in clear weather.
In clear weather, the tower of Father Anthony offers a beautiful view of Tbilisi.
You can get to Martkopi either by car or by taxi. In any case, you need to go through the village of Nori.
If you go from Tbilisi, you first need to take the metro to Samgori station. There is a bus or minibus.