Mghvimevi Monastery
Mghvimevi Monastery is a Georgian Orthodox complex in western Georgia’s Imereti region, near the town of Chiatura. Partly carved into rock, its main feature is a 13th‑century two‑nave basilica dedicated to the Nativity of the Mother of God. The complex also includes a small hall church, a bell tower, and a surrounding wall. Today it functions as a nunnery and is famous for its decorative stone carvings on the outside of the churches. It is listed as a Immovable Cultural Monument of National Significance.
The monastery sits in the village of Mghvimevi beside the Qvirila River valley, at the eastern edge of Chiatura. It is reached by a cliffside path leading to a large natural cave, which has yielded prehistoric finds. The name Mghvimevi comes from a word meaning “cave,” and many smaller caves surround the site. In the 18th century, Prince Vakhushti noted that these caves served as refuges in wartime; archaeologists have found arrowheads and signs of fire there.
The main church, east of the cave portal, is the Nativity of the Mother of God, a two‑nave basilica with a narrower northern nave. The naves are separated by a two‑arched arcade on a single pillar, and both end in faceted apses. The walls are stone faced with neatly cut slabs, and the ceiling is carved into the rock. Inside is an 18th‑century wooden iconostasis with icons of Christ, the Twelve Apostles, and life scenes from Jesus’ ministry. The church has doors to the south and west; the west door is an 11th‑century wooden work that was moved to the Georgian National Museum in Tbilisi in 1920. Frescoes include portraits of the builders on the northern wall, and the southern wall was repainted in the 16th century. The monastery once housed important church items, including an 11th‑century metal icon now kept in the National Museum.
Opposite the cave portal is a small hall church dedicated to St. Catherine. Its ceiling and west wall are carved into the rock, and its façade is made of cut stone slabs. A ram’s head relief and frescoes on the outer southern wall decorate it. Both churches are richly adorned with decorative stone carvings—arches, window and door frames, crosses, and cornices. Despite the artistic value of the carvings, the overall complex does not have the same level of preservation as some other medieval Georgian monuments. The bell tower and most monastic buildings date to the 19th century, and a modern nunnery was added in 2014.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 15:16 (CET).