My first visit to the famed Mtskheta Jvari Monastery and Church took place in late spring. I had to fight my way in among crowds (no exaggeration) of wedding parties- it was a factory line of marriages, with brides practically queuing outside with their fiances to get the official Church blessing at Georgia's first church. 

Jvari (meaning 'cross') is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and can be clearly seen high on the hill over looking the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Iberia, Mtskheta. You can walk up or drive the majority of the way. Dress warmly- it's very exposed! The views alone are worth the trip as the structure overlooks the estuary of two rivers: the Mtkvari and Aragvi. Perfect photo opportunities!

It is said the structure you see now is much in excess of the original chapel built in the early 500s AD, and was constructed in the late 500s AD to house the vast number of visitors. It all started, as the name suggests, with a cross. King Mirian III of Iveria, the first local king to convert to Christianity (by the hand of the venerated St Nino), commissioned a large wooden cross to be placed on the hill to replace a pagan temple. The cross was said to perform miracles, and drew numerous pilgrims to the site. A small chapel was build beside it (Small Jvari), and then the cathedral you see today was built to house the cross. Today, only the pedestal remains.

And now for the technical details:  The Jvari church is an early example of a "four-apsed church with four niches" domed tetraconch. Between the four apses are three-quarter cylindrical niches which are open to the central space, and the transition from the square central bay to the base of the dome's drum is effected through three rows of squinches. The Jvari church had a great impact on the further development of Georgian architecture and served as a model for many other churches.

All-in-all, a must-see for every visitor and part of a great day-trip out of Tbilisi to the first capital of Georgia!