Visiting Metekhi Church

About Metekhi Church

A 13th-century church on a cliff above the Mtkvari River, facing the Old Town, with an equestrian statue of King Vakhtang Gorgasali, founder of Tbilisi, beside it. It is one of the classic views of the city.

Tip: Photograph it from the Old Town bank at sunset, when the church and cliff are lit gold.

Plan your visit

• Time needed: 30 minutes.
• Cost: Free — no ticket needed for the main area.
• Book ahead: not usually needed; buy on arrival.
• Where: Avlabari, hilltop district around Holy Trinity Cathedral, with good-value guesthouses.

Best time to visit Metekhi Church

To avoid the biggest crowds, aim for the quietest of the good months:

• November: 13°C (55°F) highs, about 5 rainy days, quiet crowds.
• April: 19°C (66°F) highs, about 9 rainy days, moderate crowds.
• August: 31°C (88°F) highs, about 5 rainy days, busy crowds.

For the view at golden hour: in mid-November the sun sets at about 17:41 local time (calculated for Tbilisi).

When to visit Tbilisi has the full month-by-month picture.

Fit it into your trip

Our 3-day Tbilisi itinerary visits Metekhi Church on day 2, together with Kartlis Deda (Mother of Georgia), Holy Trinity Cathedral (Sameba) and Mtatsminda Park and funicular.

• No. 6 of the 18 sights in our Tbilisi things-to-do list.
• Day 2 of the 2-day plan.
• Day 2 of the 5-day plan.
• Listed in free things to do in Tbilisi.
• One of the picks in historic sites in Tbilisi.

Near Metekhi Church

Also in Avlabari, so you can walk between them:

• Holy Trinity Cathedral (Sameba) — 45 minutes, free

If you like Metekhi Church

• Narikala Fortress — Old Tbilisi, 1–1.5 hours
• Kartlis Deda (Mother of Georgia) — Sololaki, 30 minutes
• Bridge of Peace and Rike Park — Old Tbilisi, 30–45 minutes
• Anchiskhati Basilica — Old Tbilisi, 20 minutes

Staying near Metekhi Church

Stay in Avlabari ($) to walk here: hilltop district around Holy Trinity Cathedral, with good-value guesthouses. All areas to stay in Tbilisi.

Questions travellers ask