Mzovreti Fortress and Monastery

Mzovreti Monastery and Fortress is located in the beautiful Dzama Valley, off the beaten track in Georgia. The complex, with a functioning monastery, impresses with its architecture and great location on a rocky mountain.

Complex and architecture

The Mzovreti monastery complex and fortifications include three churches, a three-storey bell tower and a seven-storey defence tower. Outside the ramparts is another, newly built church.

Main church

The main church of Mzovreti was built in the 17th century from tuff and sandstone. It is 10 metres high and 9 by 5.8 metres wide. The entrance to the church is on the west side. The church has recently been renovated and religious services are held there regularly. The main church and the whole monastery are dedicated to the thirteen Syrian priests.

Two other small churches are dedicated to St George and the Virgin Mary.

The newly built church outside the walls is dedicated to the Holy Trinity.

Bell Tower

The three-storey bell tower on the west side of the church is largely built of river stone and, in addition to its religious function, was also used for defensive purposes.

The first floor of the bell tower has large openings on three sides. The second floor has its entrance from the south and can only be reached by a ladder. This floor was more for the guards and therefore has several elements for observation and defence. The eastern side of the second-floor leans against the church, while the other three sides have several embrasures.  

The third floor is used for the church bell and has openings on all four sides.

Defence tower

The seven-storey pyramidal defence tower of Mzovreti was built in the 17th century from river stones in the south-western part of the fortress. It is 22.3 metres high and 7.1 x 6.9 metres wide.

The tower has two entrances, from the north (first floor) and from the south (third floor). The tower is built on a slope and both entrances can be reached without a ladder.

On the first floor of the tower there are no openings except for the entrance, on the second floor there is a small opening and this is where the ladder begins that leads up to the seventh floor.

The third floor has only one loophole, the fourth floor has a chimney and several loopholes, the fifth floor also has several loopholes, and the sixth floor has another chimney and several loopholes. The fifth and sixth floors each have an additional hanging toilet attached from the outside. The seventh floor has openings on all four sides. 

A residential building for the monks is attached to the tower on the north side.

The fortress

The crenelated fortress was built in the 10th century, when there was still a large village here. However, the present form of the fortress was built in the 15th century under Prince Tsitsishvili.

Length of the fortress: 22 metres, width: 18 metres, in some places the walls are more than 10 metres high.

History of Mzovreti

The fortress is located in the Dzama valley, at a strategic point. In the past, the road from the Kartli region to the southern Georgian province of Tao-Klardjeti and then on to Byzantium passed through the valley. As a result, the valley was well protected and there are many other fortifications and monasteries in addition to Mzovreti.

Mzovreti was not mentioned by name in the Georgian chronicles until the 10th century, when King Demetreus of Apkhasia fought against his brother Theodos and besieged the fortress. 

From the 11th century, the fortress was controlled by the Toreli family, who received the title of prince from the Georgian king. The Torelis had to cede the fortress to the Ossetians during the Mongol raids at the end of the 13th century, but soon regained control.

In the summer of 1400, fierce battles took place at Mzovreti Fortress between the Central Asian conqueror Tamerlane and the Georgian King Giorgi VII.

In the 15th century, the Georgian princely family Tsitsishvili gained control over the fortress and the entire Dzama valley. They completely rehabilitated the fortress and then moved their seat from Velvet Sevrisi to Mzovreti. From the middle of the 15th century, the famous writer, politician and above all physician - Zaza Tsitsishvili (Panaskerteli) lived here.  He became famous mainly for his compendia of medical arts "Karabadini". He is described in several contemporary records as "the great healer and head of the sages".

At the end of the 17th century, the Tsitsishvili princes and other Georgian nobles organised an uprising against the Persian rulers. The fortress of Mtsovreti served as a stronghold for the rebels, but the Persian-appointed King Rostom brutally suppressed the uprising and partially destroyed the fortress. After this uprising, Mzovreti lost its important strategic role.

Reconstruction in the 21st century 

In 2008, Archbishop Iobi re-dedicated Mzovreti's badly damaged main church. As a result, three monks settled in Mzovreti and, in addition to conducting services and religious rituals, began to restore the church and the entire fortress complex. They were soon joined by other monks and volunteers, and after 10 years of hard work, life in Mzovreti was revived.

Today there is a well restored and exemplarily maintained monastery with about 20 monks.

Interesting to know

The monastery has a library and a small workshop where various hand-knitted items with religious motifs are made. 

There is also a miniature of Golgotha and Mount Tabor, built by the monks inside the defensive wall, and a small garden dedicated to the Trinity.

Location

The fortress and monastery complex of Mzovreti is located in the Shida-Kartli region, not far from the town of Kareli in the village of Ortubani, on the right bank of the Dzama River.

How to get to Mzovreti

There is no public transport to Mzovreti, but you can take a bus to Kareli and then a taxi from there. The road to the bottom of the site is in good condition, but you will need a 4x4 for the last 2 km.