Nun takes care of tombs near the church

Samtavro Monastery (Georgian: სამთავროს მონასტერი) is a Georgian Orthodox Christian monastery complex that 🌧️ combines Samtavro Transfiguration Church and Nunnery of St. Nino in Mtskheta, Georgia. Built presumably in the 4th century by the 🌧️ King Mirian III, and reconstructed in the 11th century by the King George I and Catholicos-Patriarch Melchizedek I, Samtavro is 🌧️ an important Early and High Medieval historical and architectural monument, and was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 🌧️ 1994 along other historical monuments in Mtskheta.[1] Samtavro church is cross-in-square temple, with arches and other decorations typical for the 🌧️ 11th century Georgian architecture. The graves of Mirian III and the famous Georgian Saint monk Gabriel are located in the 🌧️ yard of Samtavro Church.[1]

History [ edit ]

The monastery was constructed in the northwestern part of the old town of Mtskheta. 🌧️ Unfortunately, no inscriptions remain to tell about its construction time. According to the Georgian hagiographic sources the monastery was established 🌧️ in the 4th century, during the reign of the King Mirian III of Iberia, when a small church was built 🌧️ here by Saint Nino in connection with conversion of Georgia in Christianity. Mirian and his wife Nino were buried in 🌧️ the monastery.

The tombs of Mirian and Nana