The Spiritual Crown & The Vertical Frontier

Mtskheta–Mtianeti

I stand at Jvari Monastery, where the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers merge like an ancient embrace. Below lies Mtskheta, the 'Second Jerusalem', and above tower the peaks of Khevi, where Mount Kazbek holds the secrets of chained titans and holy relics. This is a land where faith and mountains shape identity .

UNESCO Sites

5,047m

Peak Height

6,786 km²

Area

94,000

Population

Written byBBGeorgiaTravel Team•Updated 2026-01-20

Expert-reviewed content

Mountain Regions Comparison

Compare Georgia's Caucasus destinations

Region	Highest Peak	Difficulty	Best Season	Main Highlight	From Tbilisi
Mtskheta–Mtianeti Current	Kazbek 5,054m	PD (Moderate)	June-Sept	Gergeti Trinity Church	2.5 hrs
Svaneti	5,193m peak	Challenging	Jun-Sep	Ushba & towers	8 hrs
Tusheti	4,493m peak	Adventure	Jun-Sep	Remote villages	5-7 hrs

CURRENT REGION

Mtskheta–Mtianeti

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Highest Peak

Kazbek 5,054m

Difficulty

PD (Moderate)

Best Season

June-Sept

Main Highlight

Gergeti Trinity Church

From Tbilisi

2.5 hrs

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Svaneti

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Highest Peak

5,193m peak

Difficulty

Challenging

Best Season

Jun-Sep

Main Highlight

Ushba & towers

From Tbilisi

8 hrs

Explore Region

Tusheti

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Highest Peak

4,493m peak

Difficulty

Adventure

Best Season

Jun-Sep

Main Highlight

Remote villages

From Tbilisi

5-7 hrs

Explore Region

About This Region

Mtskheta–Mtianeti is the spiritual and geological spine of Georgia. Here the story of a nation began as Mtskheta became the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Iberia, later the cradle of Georgian Christianity. Sacred legends of the 'Life-Giving Pillar' intertwine with dramatic mountain vistas along the Georgian Military Highway, a route followed for millennia by traders, armies, and pilgrims . Towering above Stepantsminda, Gergeti Trinity Church and the dormant volcano Mount Kazbek (Mqinvartsveri) dominate the skyline — a testament to the power of nature and myth in the Caucasus.

What Makes It Special

UNESCO Triad: The ensemble of Jvari Monastery, Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, and Samtavro Monastery represents Georgia’s earliest and most significant Christian architecture UNESCO World Heritage Site – Historical Monuments of Mtskheta.

The Holy Tunic: Svetitskhoveli is believed to house Christ’s seamless robe, brought to Georgia in the 1st century by Elias the Jew.

The Living Fortress: Mutso, the 'Machu Picchu of Georgia', is a vertical village-fortress recently saved from ruin and awarded the Europa Nostra prize Europa Nostra Award 2019 – Rehabilitation of Mutso.

Sacred Mountain Mythology: Mount Kazbek is the setting for the myth of Amirani (the Georgian Prometheus), chained to the peak for defying God.

Rare Gastronomy: The Pshavi region produces 'Dambal-Khacho', a mold-ripened cheese so distinct it holds UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status Slow Food Foundation – Dambalkhacho Cheese.

Giant Stone Heads: The village of Sno features massive granite sculptures of Georgian literary giants carved by local artist Merab Piranishvili Sno Giant Stone Heads – Merab Piranishvili.

Georgian Dolomites: The jagged Peaks of Chaukhi massif, with routes for climbers of all levels Peaks of Chaukhi – Official Tourism Information.

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byBBGeorgiaTravel Editorial• Local Experts•20 בינו׳ 2026

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