# Motsameta Monastery, Kutaisi > Motsameta Monastery is a working monastery on a cliff above a bend of the Tskaltsitela River, about 6 km north-east of central Kutaisi. Entry is free and it is open daily in daylight — roughly 9:00–18:00 by unofficial accounts. You need 30–40 minutes. Take a taxi or Bolt and pair it with Gelati Monastery, which is on the same road. Web page: https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/motsameta-monastery - City: [Kutaisi](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi), Georgia - YesGo score: 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 40 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free; candles and donations in cash (lari) - Hours: Daily in daylight, about 9:00–18:00 — unofficial, sources differ - Time needed: 30–40 minutes; half a day with Gelati - Getting there: Taxi or Bolt ≈ 15 min from the centre; marshrutka 33 to the turn-off, then ≈ 2 km on foot - Dress code: No shorts or short skirts; wraps lent at the gate; women cover their hair - Location: A cliff above the Tskaltsitela River, 6 km north-east of central Kutaisi, halfway to Gelati - Coordinates: 42.28219, 42.75892 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **6 km** — north-east of central Kutaisi, on a cliff in a bend of the Tskaltsitela (source: English and Russian Wikipedia — Motsameta) - **Free** — entry to the grounds and church (source: Tonkosti; TripLinkHub — Motsameta Monastery; Advantour) - **8th century** — princes David and Constantine executed for refusing to convert to Islam (source: Georgian Encyclopedia — David and Konstantine; English and Russian Wikipedia) - **11th century** — King Bagrat IV founded the church and monastery (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Georgian National Tourism Administration; Advantour) - **Place of martyrs** — the meaning of the name Motsameta (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Imereti DMO) - **Red water** — the meaning of Tskaltsitela — by legend, from the martyrs’ blood (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **Mkheidze** — the brothers’ family, lords of Argveti (Upper Imereti) (source: Georgian Encyclopedia; Georgian National Tourism Administration) - **15 October** — Motsametoba, the feast of Saints David and Constantine (source: Georgian Encyclopedia; Russian Wikipedia) - **1923** — Soviet authorities moved the relics to a Kutaisi museum; protests brought them back (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **Wish passage** — pass under the relics three times with a pure wish, tradition says, and it comes true (source: Advantour; Tonkosti; TripLinkHub) ## How to get to Motsameta Monastery from Kutaisi 1. Easiest: **a taxi or Bolt** from David the Builder Square (the Colchis Fountain) — about 15 minutes and, unofficially, 10–12 GEL each way. Ask the driver to wait, or carry on to [Gelati Monastery](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/gelati-monastery). 2. Cars stop at a small car park above the monastery. From there walk down a cobbled lane through the trees to the gate — a few hundred metres, uphill on the way back. 3. Cheapest: **marshrutka 33** to Gelati, which leaves from Mari Brosse Street behind the Meskhishvili Drama Theatre, 2–3 minutes’ walk from the fountain. It runs a few times a day; pay the driver in cash. 4. Tell the driver “Motsameta” and get off at the turn-off on the Kutaisi–Tkibuli road. From there it is about 2 km on foot through Motsameta village — sources give 1.8 to 2.5 km, roughly 25–35 minutes. 5. Direct minibuses to the monastery itself reportedly run only at weekends; check times at the bus station or with the driver. 6. Already at Gelati? Motsameta is 5–10 minutes by taxi, or about an hour on foot, mostly downhill. ## Motsameta opening hours and entrance fee Motsameta is **free to enter** and open every day in daylight. There is no official timetable and unofficial sources differ: the Imereti tourism office lists 9:00–18:00, Tonkosti 10:00–18:00 and TripLinkHub roughly 8:00–20:00. Aim for 10:00–17:00 and you will not be turned away. Candles and donations are optional and cash-only, in lari. Bolt rides can be paid by card in the app, but marshrutkas and street taxis take cash. Sunday mornings are for the liturgy, and on 15 October, the feast of Motsametoba, the church is packed with pilgrims. > **Motsameta dress code** Dress rules are enforced here more firmly than at many Georgian churches. Shorts and short skirts are not allowed inside: black cloth wraps are handed out at the gate to tie around your waist. Everyone covers their shoulders, women cover their hair, men take off hats. Your own scarf and long trousers are more comfortable than a borrowed wrap. ## Is Motsameta Monastery worth visiting? Yes, if you are going to Gelati anyway. Motsameta is on the same road, the detour is 10–15 minutes by taxi, and the view from its cliff over the green river is one of the best around Kutaisi. Together the two monasteries make an easy half-day trip. The honest catch: it is small, and there are no medieval frescoes — the interior was repainted during restoration. If you only have a couple of hours and care most about art history, choose Gelati. If you like quiet places, living traditions and gorge scenery, do not skip it. Come on a weekday morning, when tour groups have not yet arrived and the queue for the passage under the relics is short. ## What to see at Motsameta - **The reliquary** of Saints David and Constantine, on a raised platform to the right of the church entrance. - **The wish passage** beneath it — low, about a metre high. Tradition says that if you pass under the relics three times with a pure wish, it will come true. Expect to duck low or crawl. - **The viewpoint** by the gate, looking down the wooded gorge to the bend of the river — the classic Motsameta shot. - **The bell tower** beside the church; its date is unknown, but it frames the gorge nicely in photos. - **The cobbled lane** down to the gate through Colchic forest — at its best in autumn colour. - **The church interior** — the paintings are modern, from the restoration, so do not expect old frescoes. ## The legend of Motsameta In the first half of the 8th century an Arab army under Marwan ibn Muhammad, known in Georgia as Marwan the Deaf, invaded the country. Two brothers of the **Mkheidze** family, David and Constantine, lords of Argveti in Upper Imereti, led the resistance and were captured. Offered their lives in exchange for converting to Islam, they refused; they were tortured, executed and thrown into the river. The story goes that the water turned red, which gave the river its name, Tskaltsitela — “red water”. Locals recovered the bodies and, told by a voice to carry them east until sunrise, reached a burnt-out church on this rock at dawn and buried them there. The Georgian Church venerates the brothers as great martyrs. In the 11th century **King Bagrat IV** founded a church and monastery on the site. In 1923 the Soviet authorities closed it and moved the relics to a museum in Kutaisi, but the public outcry was such that they were soon returned. The name Motsameta means “place of the martyrs”. > **Wish passage etiquette** There is often a short queue of pilgrims for the passage under the reliquary. Wait your turn, go through one at a time and in silence, do not take photos inside and do not linger. During a service it is better to wait. It is a tight squeeze — with a small child, judge on the spot. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Long trousers or a skirt below the knee, and a scarf - [ ] Cash in lari for the marshrutka, candles and a donation - [ ] A taxi driver who waits, or the minibus return time - [ ] Comfortable shoes for the cobbled lane to the gate - [ ] 30–40 minutes for Motsameta and an hour for Gelati ## Motsameta vs Gelati vs Bagrati | | Motsameta | Gelati | Bagrati | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Small monastery above a gorge | 12th-century monastery and academy, UNESCO | 11th-century cathedral on a hill in town | | Highlight | Saints’ relics, river views | Mosaic, frescoes, David’s tomb | Panorama of Kutaisi | | Where | 6 km from the centre, on the way to Gelati | 11 km from the centre | In town, walkable | | Entry | Free | Free | Free | | Time needed | 30–40 min | ≈ 1 h | ≈ 40 min | Do Motsameta and Gelati together with one taxi for half a day, and walk to Bagrati from the centre in the morning or at sunset. ## 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 ## Motsameta and Gelati in half a day Motsameta first, then up to Gelati, Bagrati Cathedral after lunch and the evening at the White Bridge. YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Motsameta Monastery](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/motsameta-monastery) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free 2. [Gelati Monastery](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/gelati-monastery) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free 3. [Bagrati Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/bagrati-cathedral) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free 4. [White Bridge](https://yesgo.io/georgia/kutaisi/kutaisi-white-bridge) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free ## Good to know Motsameta near Kutaisi is not Mtskheta, the old capital near Tbilisi with Svetitskhoveli and Jvari — the names sound alike, the places are far apart. Motsameta is also the name of the village by the monastery and of a halt on the Tkibuli railway line. You will see the river spelled Tskaltsitela or Tskhaltsitela; it is the same river. ## Tips - By taxi, start at Gelati and stop at Motsameta on the way back — it is closer to town. - On foot it works the other way round: from Gelati to Motsameta is about an hour, mostly downhill along the road towards Kutaisi. - Use Bolt rather than a street taxi — the price is fixed in the app and you can pay by card. - The best photo is from the viewpoint by the gate, with the bell tower, the cliff and the river bend in one frame. - Autumn is the prettiest season: the gorge turns gold and red, and 15 October brings the Motsametoba feast. ## Questions ### How do I get to Motsameta Monastery from Kutaisi? A taxi or Bolt takes about 15 minutes from the centre. On a budget, take marshrutka 33 towards Gelati to the Motsameta turn-off and walk about 2 km. Direct minibuses reportedly run only at weekends. ### Is there an entrance fee at Motsameta Monastery? No, entry is free. Candles and donations are optional — bring cash in lari. ### What are Motsameta Monastery opening hours? There is no official timetable. Unofficially it is open daily in daylight, about 9:00–18:00; 10:00–17:00 is the safe window. ### Is Motsameta Monastery worth visiting? Yes, as a stop on the way to or from Gelati: the cliff-top setting and river views are superb. It is small and has no old frescoes, so it is not worth a separate long trip for art lovers. ### How long do you need at Motsameta? 30–40 minutes for the church and the viewpoint. With Gelati and the drive from Kutaisi, allow half a day. ### What should I wear to Motsameta? No shorts or short skirts — black wraps are lent at the gate. Cover your shoulders; women cover their hair. ### What is the wish passage at Motsameta? A low passage, about a metre high, under the reliquary of Saints David and Constantine. Tradition says passing under it three times with a pure wish makes the wish come true. ### Can you visit Motsameta and Gelati on the same day? Easily. They are 4–5 km apart on the same road; one taxi for half a day, waiting at each, is the simplest plan. ### Who are David and Constantine of Motsameta? Brothers of the Mkheidze family, lords of Argveti, executed by an Arab army in the 8th century for refusing to convert to Islam. The Georgian Church venerates them as great martyrs. ## How we checked The monastery publishes no official opening hours: the Imereti tourism office gives 9:00–18:00, Tonkosti 10:00–18:00 and TripLinkHub about 8:00–20:00, so we show all three and mark hours as “checking”. Free entry is confirmed by three independent sources. Wikipedia, the Georgian National Tourism Administration and Advantour name Bagrat IV as the founder, TripLinkHub says Bagrat III and some sources just “Bagrat the Great”; we follow the majority. Wikipedia puts the monastery 6 km from the centre, Advantour 3 km; we use 6 km. Sources give 1.8–2.5 km for the walk from the main-road turn-off and 200–500 m from the car park to the gate, so we round. Taxi fares and weekend-only direct minibuses are unofficial. A story that lions carried the relics did not appear in reliable sources, so we leave it out. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Motsameta Monastery; Russian Wikipedia: Motsameta; Wikidata Q16372738 - Georgian Encyclopedia: David and Konstantine — the Mkheidze family, Argveti, Marwan the Deaf, feast day - Georgian National Tourism Administration: Motsameta Monastery — Bagrat IV, the Mkheidze brothers, the wish tradition - Imereti DMO (Imereti tourism office): Motsameta — name, history, opening hours - Tonkosti: Motsameta — entry, hours, weekend minibuses, dress code, church paintings - Advantour: Motsameta Monastery — reliquary position, metre-high passage, sunrise legend - TripLinkHub: Motsameta Monastery — taxi, turn-off and walking route, car park, dress code, time needed - Wikivoyage: Kutaisi — marshrutka 33 and its departure point, walking from Gelati --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.