Georgia is home to the ancient city of Mtskheta, the former capital of the Kingdom of Georgia.
Mtskheta lies at the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtkvari rivers, north of modern Tbilisi. It was the capital of the ancient Georgian kingdom of Iberia and remained a major political and religious center after the royal capital moved to Tbilisi.
Georgia adopted Christianity as its state religion in the early fourth century, traditionally during the reign of King Mirian III. Mtskheta became the center of the Georgian Orthodox Church, and the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral remains one of the country’s most important religious buildings. The Jvari Monastery overlooks the city from a nearby hill.
UNESCO inscribed the Historical Monuments of Mtskheta in 1994. Mtskheta is sometimes confused with Tbilisi because both are major Georgian historical centers, but Tbilisi is the modern capital. The older city’s importance comes from its royal, Christian, and archaeological heritage.