METEKHI CHURCH

The church stands almost on an eagle's nest, clinging to the cliff. Occupying a strategic position, it was first built in the^5th century. The exact date of construction of the present church is uncertain. Its current structure dates back to 1280, when it was rebuilt by King Dimitri II Tavdadebouli (the Devout). Metekhi means "place for a palace". It was the heart of the medieval Georgian kingdom. The complex was razed to the ground by the Mongols in 1235. It was rebuilt and destroyed many times, before its final sacking in 1795.