Gelati Monastery

Gelati Monastery is a medieval monastic complex in the Imereti region of western Georgia founded in 1106 and known for its architecture, frescoes and role as a center of learning. It represents an important example of Georgian Orthodox monastic and intellectual life.

The site includes several churches and monastic buildings arranged on a hillside, with well-preserved 12th-century frescoes and mosaics in the principal church. The complex layout and decorative programs illustrate medieval Georgian ecclesiastical art and architecture.

Established by King David IV (the Builder) in the early 12th century, the monastery hosted an academy that contributed to theology, philosophy and the arts. Over subsequent centuries the complex was extended and repaired, retaining significant medieval fabric and decoration.

Gelati Monastery stands near the city of Kutaisi in Imereti, on a wooded slope overlooking the surrounding agricultural landscape of western Georgia.

• Founding date: Founded by King David IV in 1106, the monastery became an important religious and intellectual center of medieval Georgia.

What to See #

• Main monastic churches: The main church complex founded as part of the original monastic foundation, known for its fresco program and medieval architecture.
• Gelati Academy: The medieval academy and associated monastic buildings that made the monastery a center of learning in medieval Georgia.