World Travel GuidesThe World Heritage Sites Homepage Bagrati Cathedral and Gelati Monastery, Georgia


  Compare Hotel Room Rates from different Booking Sites   Follow Me on Pinterest 
Gelati Monastery, Kutaisi, Georgia
Gelati Monastery, Kutaisi, Georgia
Author: ilan molcho (Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic)



Bagrati Cathedral and Gelati Monastery are historical sites in Georgia. The Bagrati Cathedral was named after the first king to rule over a united Georgia, King Bagrat III. Its official name is the Cathedral of the Dormition, or Kutaisi Cathedral.

According to an inscription on the north wall of the cathedral, the floor was laid in chronicon 223, equivalent to AD 1003. The cathedral was destroyed by Ottoman troops in 1692, causing the cupola and ceiling to collapse, but otherwise leaving the structure still standing. Conservation work on the cathedral began in 1952 and is still on going.

The Gelati Monastery is a religious complex in Kutaisi, in western Georgia. Within the monastery are the Church of the Virgin, founded by the King of Georgia, David the Builder, in 1106, and the 13th century churches of St. George and St. Nicholas. David the Builder is also buried within the grounds of the monastery. The monastery has a fine collection of murals and manuscripts dating from the 12th to the 17th centuries.

For a long time, the monastery served as the cultural and intellectual center for Georgia. It was here that some of the brightest minds in Georgia did their researches, among them famous scholars such as Ioane Petritsi and Arsen Ikaltoeli. Bagrati Cathedral and Gelati Monastery was inscribed as a World Heritage Site during the 18th session of the World Heritage Committee which met in Phuket, Thailand, on 12-17 December, 1994.

Photos of Bagrati Cathedral and Gelati Monastery

Bagrati Cathedral, Kutaisi, Georgia
Bagrati Cathedral, Kutaisi, Georgia
Author: Kober (public domain)

World Heritage Site Inscription Details

Location: N 42 15 43.992 E 42 42 59.004 in the city of Kutaisi, in the region of Imereti, Georgia
Inscription Year: 1994
Type of Site: Cultural
Inscription Criteria: IV

Location Map of Bagrati Cathedral and Gelati Monastery

Bagrati Cathedral and Gelati Monastery are number 2 on the map.


View World Heritage Sites in Georgia in a larger map

Visiting Bagrati Cathedral and Gelati Monastery

Bagrati Cathedral and Gelati Monastery are located in the city of Kutaisi. To reach it, you can take a bus from Tbilisi. The bus station is located at the end of the north metro line of Tbilisi. Alternatively you can arrange with a tour operator in Tbilisi for a package to Kutaisi.


Return to Georgia's World Heritage Sites
Return to Georgia Travel & Hotel Guide
Return to World Heritage Sites






  • Tips to become a smart traveler: Useful tips to remember, to get the best out of your travels.
  • Preparing for a Trip: Systematic approach to help you prepare for your trip.
  • How to plan your travel itinerary: Step-by-step build to creating the itinerary for your trip.
  • How to compare hotel room rates: Learn to use a booking search engine to compare rates across all major booking sites.
  • How to pack your luggage: Useful steps to take when packing your luggage.
  • Packing List (PDF): Print out this free packing list to make sure you don't forget anything for your trip.
  • Voltage, Frequency, Plugs & Sockets of the World: Learn about the mains electricity supply in the world.
  • Travelers' List of Plugs and Sockets (PDF): Easy-to-use list of electricity and plugs for all countries.
  • Making International Direct Dail Calls: Learn to make IDD calls from anywhere in the world.
  • IDD Call Prefixes & Country Codes (PDF): Listing of Call Prefixes and Country Codes on one page for you to bring on your trip.
  • Safety Tips When Traveling Alone: Useful advice for when you travel on your own.
  • Guide to Health Matters related to Travel: Comprehensive coverage of different issues related to your health when traveling.
  • Getting Travel Insurance for your trip: Benefits of travel insurance, and advise on when you should signing up for one.
  • Improve your travel photography: Tips to improve your photography skills, especially when traveling.
  • Guide to Traveling Around the World: Useful tips for encircling the globe.


  • Find a hotel







    Follow Me on Pinterest

    Point - Click - Discover!

    Thanks for visiting this webpage. To continue exploring, choose another destination!


    My World Travel Guides - celebrating a beautiful world beautifully.

    Earning a living as a Happy Jobless Guy

    I am a Happy Jobless Guy! I am one of the few people who is fortunate enough to earn an income from my websites that I don't to go out to work. My sites get thousands of visitors every day. It has been a long process, but it is something everybody can achieve, and that means YOU. The following are some articles which you might want to read if you want to do what I do:
    1. Money Making Manual
    2. Create Your Own Money-Printing Machine
    3. Guide for earning a living without holding a job
    4. Generate a Sitemap for your website
    5. Complete Step-by-Step e-Business Building System