Bagrati Cathedral Religious Site

Address: Bagrati Cathedral, Kutaisi, Imereti, Georgia

Hours: Open to visitors during daytime service/visiting hours (typically daylight hours)

Admission: Entry to Bagrati Cathedral is generally free (active cathedral); donations accepted.

Bagrati Cathedral is an early 11th-century cathedral in Kutaisi, Imereti, Georgia, founded during the reign of the Bagratid kingdom and named after King Bagrat. The building is a significant example of medieval Georgian ecclesiastical architecture and dominates the city skyline.

The cathedral and the hill complex around it have undergone substantial repairs and restoration in the modern era. Although it was previously inscribed as part of a UNESCO World Heritage site alongside the monastic complex at Gelati, the cathedral was removed from the World Heritage List in 2017 after alterations were judged to have affected its authenticity.

Bagrati sits atop a hill overlooking the Rioni plain and the city of Kutaisi, providing panoramic views and forming part of the city’s historic core.

• Dating: The cathedral dates to the early 11th century and is associated with the Bagratid dynasty’s period of consolidation in western Georgia.
• UNESCO Status Change: It was removed from UNESCO World Heritage status in 2017 after modern restoration work that UNESCO judged had compromised its integrity.

What to See#

• Main Cathedral Building: The cathedral sits on a prominent hill overlooking Kutaisi and was originally built in the early 11th century as a royal church associated with the Bagratid kings of Georgia.
• Hill Complex: The wider hill and castle complex contains defensive elements and viewpoints over the city and surrounding plain.

Bagrati Cathedral sits on a hill in central Kutaisi (Imereti). The cathedral is reachable on foot from Kutaisi city center (a short uphill walk) or by taxi from Kutaisi railway station or the city’s bus stops. By road, Kutaisi is west of Tbilisi and is commonly reached by car or bus on the E60/S1 corridor (roughly a few hours’ drive from Tbilisi).

• Visit Bagrati Cathedral on the hill above Kutaisi in the early morning or late afternoon for soft light and far-reaching views over the city and the Rioni valley.
• Walk around to the southern terrace and the hillside viewpoints-many visitors focus on the façade but miss the sweeping panoramas and photo angles from the lower terraces.
• Combine a visit with nearby Gelati Monastery (a short drive east of Kutaisi) to see another major medieval Georgian monument and avoid trying to see both at peak midday when tour buses are busiest.