Gremi architectural monument

Confession: Georgian Orthodox Church
Date of foundation: XVI century.
Status:Active monastery
Condition: Good
From Tbilisi: 114 km / 2 hours.

A beautiful castle, theArchitectural monument of Gremilocated on a high hill, near the current village ofGremi, part of Kvareli municipality of Georgia,was built by the kingKakheti Levan in 1565. The frescoes were painted in 1577.

The city Gremi, a palace and citadel, was founded in the mid-16th century. The elevated end of the ridge on the Intsoba river was chosen for the castle. This place had the advantage of dominating the city and at the same time being an integral part of the city. This layout helped the feudal city, and we can say that it created its classic appearance.

This is a rectangular building, built of brick, with cobblestones used in several places. It has 3 entrances from the west, south and north. In the interior, on the western wall there is a portrait of a builder with a model of the church in his hand. The artillery fence of the temple was also a fortress. It was renovated byHeraclius II. Before the construction of the temple, there was a tower building on the hill, on the third floor of which a bell tower was built.

The complex of the Archangels includes the Church of the Archangels, a three-story mansion, a bell tower and agricultural buildings (wine cellar, small kitchen utensils). This part of the city could live independently, since it was bordered by a high fence and had a secret stone exit to the river Intsoba, part of which has survived to this day.

One of the most striking examples of Georgian architecture is Archangel Gremi, located south of the modern village Gremi, on the road from Telavi to Kvareli, was created during the short but powerful development ofGremi (XV-XVII centuries). At this time, Gremi was the residence of the kings of Kakheti and one of the most powerful, well-equipped and populous cities. Its importance as the country’s political center declined in the seventeenth century, following the invasion of Shah Abbas in 1615. The residence of the kings of Kakheti from the destroyed city returned to Telavi. The surviving archangel is a monument to the prosperity of the city and at the same time a visible example of Georgian late feudal architecture.