Things to Do at Metekhi Church
Complete Guide to Metekhi Church in Tbilisi
About Metekhi Church
Metekhi Church perches on a sheer cliff above the Mtkvari River, one of those rare places in Tbilisi where centuries press up through your soles. The honey-colored stone and brick walls catch late-afternoon sun and glow almost copper against the green-gray water below. The central dome rises with quiet authority. It stops you mid-sentence.
Tradition holds that King Vakhtang Gorgasali founded a church and fortress here in the 5th century, and that St. Shushanik, one of Georgia's earliest Christian martyrs, lies buried somewhere beneath these stones. The current structure dates to the late 13th century, rebuilt by King Demetrius II between 1278 and 1289 after Mongol armies destroyed earlier buildings in 1235.
The site has suffered since. A prison operated in the churchyard from 1819 until 1934, and under Soviet rule the building lost its religious function entirely. You sense that layered history in patched stonework and slightly mismatched brick from later restorations. Since Georgian independence the church has returned to active worship, and on Sunday mornings polyphonic chanting drifts through heavy wooden doors and across the cliff edge, mixing with river breeze.
The bronze equestrian statue of Vakhtang Gorgasali by sculptor Elguja Amashukeli, erected in 1961, stands just outside, and from behind it Tbilisi's Old Town is a geological cross-section of the city's past.
What to See & Do
The cliff-edge panorama
The terrace wrapping the church's south side delivers Tbilisi's most dramatic vantage point. Below, the Mtkvari carves a slow bend through the gorge. Across the water you can trace the crenellated ridge of Narikala Fortress, the sulfur-bath domes of Abanotubani, and the cramped wooden balconies of the Old Town climbing the opposite hillside. Early evening turns everything amber and violet as the sun drops behind Mtatsminda. The warm stone underfoot still radiates the day's heat.
The cross-in-square interior
The church follows a cross-in-square plan measuring roughly 20 by 16 meters, with a central dome held up by four freestanding pillars. Step inside and the air is cool and faintly smoky from beeswax candles, light filtering through narrow windows in dusty shafts. The eastern facade has three projecting apses, unusual for medieval Georgian churches of this period. Look for carved grapevine motifs on the north portico, original to the 13th-century construction and a hallmark of Georgian Golden Age stonework.
The Vakhtang Gorgasali statue
Just outside the church grounds, the towering bronze equestrian figure of Tbilisi's legendary founder sits astride his horse on the cliff edge, sword arm extended over the river. Sculptor Elguja Amashukeli created it, and it was erected in 1961. It has become one of the most recognizable silhouettes in the city's skyline. At night, floodlights catch the bronze and the church wall behind it. The composition looks almost theatrical.
The stone carvings and brickwork
Running your eye along the exterior walls, you can read the building's biography in its materials. The 13th-century base courses are dressed stone, precise and weathered to warm grey, while 17th- through 19th-century restoration layers switch to brick in noticeably different color and texture. The contrast is not hidden. It gives the building an honest, patchwork character that polished restorations often lose.
The small Abo church below
Tucked into the rock face beneath the main church, a small chapel dedicated to Abu of Tbilisi is easy to miss unless you descend the steep path along the cliff. The space is tiny, rough-hewn, and smells of damp stone and old incense. It draws far fewer visitors than the main church. That makes it more contemplative.
Practical Information
Opening Hours
The church is open daily and generally accessible from morning through evening, though exact hours shift with the liturgical calendar and seasonal daylight. During major Orthodox holidays and feast days the schedule may change without notice, so confirm locally if visiting around Easter or Christmas. Sunday morning services are most active, with chanting and incense filling the interior.
Tickets & Pricing
Entry to Metekhi Church is free. No ticket booth exists. No booking is required. Donations are welcomed and a small box usually sits near the entrance. You will not encounter queues or timed entry, even during peak tourist season, though Sunday services can draw a crowd of worshippers.
Best Time to Visit
Evening visits reward you with the best light for photography and the most dramatic views, when floodlights come on and the cliff face glows against the darkening sky. A morning visit on a weekday means you will likely have the interior almost to yourself, letting you linger over carvings and absorb the quiet. Midday in summer can be punishing on the exposed terrace, with stone radiating heat and little shade to speak of.
Suggested Duration
A thorough visit to the church, its courtyard, the statue, and the small Abo chapel below takes around 30 minutes. Factor in time to sit on the terrace wall and absorb the panorama, or to catch part of a service, and an hour is more realistic. Worth it.
Getting There
The nearest metro station is Avlabari on the Akhmeteli-Varketili line, and from there it is roughly a 10-minute walk through the old quarter. The approach is uphill and the final stretch involves uneven cobblestones and some steep steps, which can be slippery after rain and difficult for anyone with mobility issues. Several city bus routes stop nearby as well.
A taxi from central Tbilisi is inexpensive and quick, and most drivers know Metekhi by name without needing an address. If you are already walking the Old Town circuit, the church sits naturally between Abanotubani and the Avlabari neighborhood, so folding it into a broader walking route makes more sense than treating it as a standalone destination.
Things to Do Nearby
Visible directly across the gorge from Metekhi's terrace, Narikala's crumbling walls date back to the 4th century. A cable car from Rike Park on the river's left bank carries you up to the fortress ridge, where the views rival and complement those from Metekhi itself. The two sites together give you Tbilisi's Old Town from both sides of the river.
A few hundred meters downhill from Metekhi, the brick domes rising from the ground mark the roofs of subterranean bathhouses fed by natural sulfur springs. The egg-and-mineral smell hits you before you see them. After the exposed cliff walk, a soak in the warm, slightly sulfurous water is a fine counterpoint.
Stretching along the river below Metekhi, Rike Park offers green space, shade, and the swooping glass canopy of the Peace Bridge. Walking down from the church and crossing the bridge on foot gives you another angle on the cliff and statue you have just left.
The residential quarter surrounding Metekhi is worth wandering on its own. Cracked plaster facades hide courtyard gardens, laundry lines stretch between wooden balconies overhead, and you will likely smell churchkhela drying and bread baking in tone ovens before you spot the bakeries.
Tips & Advice
Tours & Activities at Metekhi Church
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