Alaverdi

Alaverdi Monastery in the Kakheti region of eastern Georgia is among the country's most revered Orthodox monastic complexes, with roots stretching back to the 4th century when the missionary Ioseb Alawerdeli founded an early church on the site. The cathedral standing today was commissioned in the 11th century by King Kvirike III and rises 53 metres, making it the second-tallest church in Georgia and the third-largest by floor area. Built from finely cut local stone, the structure stands in the broad valley of the Alazani River against the backdrop of the Greater Caucasus foothills. Visitors encounter a living monastic community where Georgian Orthodox liturgy — its polyphonic chants recognized as intangible cultural heritage — is still performed daily. The site's inclusion on Georgia's UNESCO Tentative List reflects its outstanding cultural and architectural significance.