Nun takes care of tombs near the church

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

History [ edit ]

The monastery was constructed in the northwestern part of the old town of Mtskheta. 1️⃣ Unfortunately, no inscriptions remain to tell about its construction time. According to the Georgian hagiographic sources the monastery was established 1️⃣ in the 4th century, during the reign of the King Mirian III of Iberia, when a small church was built 1️⃣ here by Saint Nino in connection with conversion of Georgia in Christianity. Mirian and his wife Nino were buried in 1️⃣ the monastery.

The tombs of Mirian and Nana