# Bagrati Cathedral, Kutaisi > Bagrati Cathedral is Kutaisi's landmark: an early 11th-century Orthodox cathedral on Ukimerioni Hill, rebuilt in 2009–2012 after three centuries in ruins. Entry is free and it is open daily from morning to evening. Allow about 40 minutes for the church, the fortress ruins and the viewpoint. It is a 15–20 minute uphill walk from the Colchis Fountain; cover shoulders and knees. Web page: https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/bagrati-cathedral - City: [Kutaisi](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi), Georgia - YesGo score: 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 40 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free — no tickets or booking - Hours: Daily, roughly 9:00–18:00 or 10:00–20:00 — sources differ - Dress code: Shoulders and knees covered; women cover their hair and wear a skirt - Location: Ukimerioni Hill, right bank of the Rioni, Bagrati Street - On foot: 15–20 min from the Colchis Fountain; the last stretch is steep - Taxi: A few minutes from the centre by Bolt; unofficially about 3–5 GEL - Time needed: ≈ 40 minutes, longer at sunset - Coordinates: 42.27730, 42.70430 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **1003** — the date in the wall inscription “the floor was laid in chronicon 223” (source: English Wikipedia; Georgian Encyclopedia; Courtauld Institute “Crossing Frontiers”) - **Bagrat III** — the king who first united Georgia and gave the cathedral its name (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; georgia.travel) - **2017** — removed from the UNESCO World Heritage List because of the reconstruction (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Courtauld Institute) - **1692** — Ottoman troops wrecked it and the dome and roof collapsed (Russian Wikipedia gives 1691) (source: English Wikipedia; Georgian Encyclopedia; Courtauld Institute) - **1994** — inscribed on the World Heritage List together with Gelati Monastery (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **2010** — put on the List of World Heritage in Danger as rebuilding began (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **300+ years** — the cathedral stood without a dome or roof (source: English Wikipedia; Georgia Today) - **1952** — scientific restoration began under architect Vakhtang Tsintsadze (source: Georgian Encyclopedia; Courtauld Institute) - **2009–2012** — full reconstruction with a new dome; the missing western part is a modern structure by Andrea Bruno (source: Georgian Encyclopedia; English Wikipedia) - **2001** — handed over to the Georgian Orthodox Church; services are held again (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **1770** — Russian artillery under General Totleben damaged the fortress and the east end (source: Russian Wikipedia; Tonkosti; Courtauld Institute) - **David IV the Builder** — was crowned here (source: Russian Wikipedia; Tonkosti) ## Bagrati Cathedral opening hours and entry Entry is **free** and there are no tickets. The cathedral is open **every day from morning to evening**, but there is no official visitor timetable: guidebooks give anything from 9:00–18:00 to 10:00–20:00, and it may close earlier in winter. Services and weddings run most days — you can still come in, just keep to the sides. Entry costs nothing, so payment only matters for getting there: the airport shuttle takes contactless bank cards, Bolt takes cards or cash, and street taxis usually want cash — carry a few lari, which also covers candles. > **Dress code: shoulders and knees covered** This is a working cathedral, not a museum. Everyone needs covered shoulders and knees; women should cover their hair and wear a skirt, men take off hats and wear long trousers. Wraps are not always available at the door, so bring a scarf. Don't walk through the middle during a service, and skip the flash. ## How to get to Bagrati Cathedral 1. Start at the [Colchis Fountain](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/colchis-fountain) on David the Builder Square — city minibuses, taxis and the airport shuttle all stop around here. 2. Walk a few minutes down to the Rioni and cross on the [White Bridge](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/kutaisi-white-bridge) or the Chain Bridge (Jachvis Khidi) a little upstream. 3. On the far bank, head up Bagrati Street. Near the top a shaded pedestrian stairway cuts the corner and rejoins the street. 4. You reach the gate 15–20 minutes after leaving the fountain. The last part is steep — not ideal with a pushchair. 5. Rather not climb? Order a Bolt or take a taxi from the centre: a few minutes to the gate. ## Is Bagrati Cathedral worth visiting? Yes, if you have even half a day in Kutaisi. It's free, it's a short walk from the centre, and the hilltop gives the best view in town — the Rioni, the old roofs and, on a clear day, the mountains. Forty minutes here explains why Kutaisi was once a royal capital. Just don't expect a medieval interior. The walls are largely rebuilt and there are almost no frescoes inside. If you have only a couple of hours and a car, go to [Gelati Monastery](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/gelati-monastery) first for its mosaics and murals, and come up to Bagrati for sunset. ## Why was Bagrati removed from UNESCO? The ruins were listed with Gelati in 1994. When the Georgian government started a full rebuild with a new dome, UNESCO moved the site to the danger list in 2010 and asked for the work to stop. It went ahead, and in 2017 the Committee delisted the cathedral, judging the reconstruction harmful to its integrity and authenticity. Gelati Monastery kept its World Heritage status. On the ground the difference is easy to see: at Bagrati, pale new stone sits next to the weathered original, and the western end is a modern steel structure by the Italian architect Andrea Bruno, who received a Georgian state medal for the project. ## A short history King **Bagrat III**, the first ruler of a united Georgia, built the cathedral at the turn of the 11th century; an inscription by the north window dates the floor to 1003. Richly carved portals were added on the west and south in the 1030s, and David IV the Builder was later crowned here. In 1692 Ottoman troops occupying Imereti blew it up and the dome and vaults fell. In 1770 Russian guns under General Totleben, firing on the Turkish-held fortress, damaged the east end too. Restoration began in 1952, the church was returned to the Orthodox Church in 2001, and the 2009–2012 rebuild gave it back a roof and a bronze cross on the dome. ## What to see - **The south portal** — 11th-century carving and traces of a fresco of the Virgin. - **Carved façades**: blind arcades, vine and animal ornament, and fantastical beasts with human or eagle heads. - **The east façade** — five arches and two niches, with the building inscription above the windows. - **Old stone versus new** — the colour of the masonry shows exactly what survived and what was rebuilt. - **The dome from inside** — only under it do you get the true scale of the church. - **The fortress ruins** scattered over the hill around the cathedral. - **The view**: the Rioni, Kutaisi's rooftops and, in clear weather, the Caucasus on the horizon. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Scarf, covered shoulders and knees - [ ] Comfortable shoes for the climb - [ ] Water — the hill is hot and shadeless in summer - [ ] A few lari in cash for candles and taxis - [ ] Time to stay for sunset - [ ] Ready to keep quiet during services and weddings ## Bagrati vs Gelati vs Motsameta | | Bagrati | Gelati | Motsameta | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | 11th-century cathedral on a hill in town | 12th-century monastery, UNESCO | Small monastery above a gorge | | Best for | City views and history | Mosaics and frescoes | Peace and scenery | | Where | In town, walkable | Outside town, by taxi | Outside town, by taxi | | Entry | Free | Free | Free | | Time needed | ≈ 40 min | ≈ 1 h | ≈ 40 min | Do Bagrati on foot in the morning or at sunset, and Gelati and Motsameta together by taxi — they are close to each other. ## Churches and monasteries around Kutaisi Every church and monastery in and around Kutaisi rated by YesGo. - [Bagrati Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/bagrati-cathedral) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free - [Motsameta Monastery](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/motsameta-monastery) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free - [Gelati Monastery](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/gelati-monastery) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free ## Old Kutaisi and the monasteries in a day The centre and the climb to the cathedral in the morning, then a taxi to the two monasteries after lunch. 1. [Colchis Fountain](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/colchis-fountain) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 15 min · Free 2. [White Bridge](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/kutaisi-white-bridge) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free 3. [Bagrati Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/bagrati-cathedral) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free 4. [Motsameta Monastery](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/motsameta-monastery) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free 5. [Gelati Monastery](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/gelati-monastery) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free > **Go early or at sunset** In high season tour coaches arrive through the middle of the day. Come in the morning or an hour before sunset, when the light hits the dome from the west, then walk down to the White Bridge for dinner in the centre. ## Good to know The cathedral is named after King Bagrat III, the man who built it, not after a saint. The UNESCO site now covers Gelati Monastery only. One guide lists Monday as a closing day while others say it opens daily; services are held every day, but have a plan B on a Monday. ## Tips - Walk up and come down by the stairway towards the White Bridge — you'll see the old neighbourhood rather than the road. - Combine it with Gelati and [Motsameta](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/motsameta-monastery): one taxi for half a day costs less than three separate rides. - For the whole cathedral and bell tower in one frame, step back to the viewpoint on the west side. - If a wedding is on, take photos from a distance and without flash — it's a private celebration. - There's little shade on the hill; avoid midday in summer. ## Questions ### What are Bagrati Cathedral opening hours? There's no official timetable. It is open daily from morning to evening; guidebooks give anything from 9:00–18:00 to 10:00–20:00. ### Is Bagrati Cathedral free to enter? Yes. There's no ticket and no booking; candles and donations are optional. ### How do I get to Bagrati Cathedral from the centre? Walk from the Colchis Fountain across the Rioni by the White Bridge or Chain Bridge, then up Bagrati Street — 15–20 minutes, steep at the end. A Bolt takes a few minutes. ### Is Bagrati Cathedral worth visiting? Yes for the view, the setting and the story, and it costs nothing. The interior is plain and largely rebuilt, so for frescoes go to Gelati. ### Why is Bagrati no longer a UNESCO site? UNESCO delisted it in 2017 because the 2009–2012 reconstruction with a new dome damaged its authenticity. Gelati Monastery is still on the list. ### What is the dress code at Bagrati Cathedral? Covered shoulders and knees for everyone; women cover their hair and wear a skirt, men remove hats. Bring your own scarf. ### How long do you need at Bagrati Cathedral? About 40 minutes for the church, the fortress ruins and the viewpoint, plus 15–20 minutes each way on foot from the centre. ### When was Bagrati Cathedral built? At the turn of the 11th century under King Bagrat III; an inscription dates the completion of the floor to 1003. ### Can I visit Bagrati and Gelati on the same day? Easily. Walk to Bagrati, then take a taxi to Gelati and Motsameta, which are close to each other east of town. ## How we checked The cathedral publishes no visitor timetable: guides give 9:00–18:00, 10:00–20:00, and 10:00–17:00 closed on Mondays, so we say “daily, morning to evening” and mark hours as verifying. The destruction date differs — English Wikipedia, the Georgian Encyclopedia and the Courtauld give 1692, Russian Wikipedia 1691 — and we show both. Sources put the start of the rebuild in 2009 or 2010; we follow the Georgian Encyclopedia (2009–2012). Taxi fares are unofficial. We give no dimensions because we found no reliable source with figures. Other facts are checked against at least two sources. ## Sources - English and Russian Wikipedia: Bagrati Cathedral; Wikidata Q37222 - Georgian Encyclopedia: Bagrati Cathedral - Courtauld Institute of Art, Crossing Frontiers project: Bagrati Cathedral - Georgian National Tourism Administration (georgia.travel): Bagrati Cathedral - Georgia Today: Re-roofed Kutaisi; Kutaisi.travel — airport shuttle bus - BucketListly: Kutaisi travel guide; Tonkosti: Храм Баграта --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.