Motsameta Monastery

Motsameta means the place of the martyrs, and the monastery is named for two eighth-century brothers, David and Constantine, local rulers killed for refusing to renounce their faith, whose relics are kept in a casket in the church raised on arches; there is a tradition that crawling under it three times brings a wish. The building is small and stands on a spur that drops on three sides to the Tskaltsitela river, whose name means the red water, in a wooded gorge. It is a few minutes from Gelati and is usually visited with it, though it is far smaller and quieter. A path leads down toward the river below the walls.

History

The name, "place of the martyrs", recalls the brothers David and Constantine of a noble family of Argveti, who led a rising against the Arabs in the 8th century; captured and offered pardon if they converted to Islam, they refused and were killed, and their bodies thrown into the river, which by tradition turned red and was named Tskaltsitela, "red water". The story says lions carried their remains to the hill, and once the Georgian Church recognised them as saints, King Bagrat IV founded a church here in the 11th century; legend also tells of a secret passage from Motsameta to Gelati (Wikipedia, Motsameta Monastery).

Highlights

• The relic casket on arches - the shrine of the two brothers.
• A spur above the gorge - the church with drops on three sides.
• The red river below - the Tskaltsitela in its wooded valley.
• A quiet counterpart to Gelati - much smaller and far less visited.

When to go

April to October. One to two hours, usually combined with Gelati nearby. Modest dress is required and coverings are lent at the gate.

Things to know

It is very small and the visit is short. Parking is tight and the access road is narrow. Photography inside is generally not permitted. It fills quickly when a tour group arrives.

Nearby

Gelati monastery is a short drive; Kutaisi lies west.

Key facts