Photos: Jami430, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Arian Zwegers from Brussels, Belgium, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 Marcin Konsek, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo credits
Photos: Jami430, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Arian Zwegers from Brussels, Belgium, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 Marcin Konsek, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Gelati Monastery, King David's academy
Your local guide
Beka Gvaramia
View profile
Highlights
- Twelfth-century mosaics up close
- King David the Builder's academy ruins
- A king buried under the threshold
- A UNESCO monastery near Kutaisi
- Worship and scholarship in one site
About this tour
This session covers Gelati Monastery, founded in the twelfth century by King David the Builder as both a church and an academy. You see the main cathedral's surviving mosaics, then the ruins of the academy itself, and finally the gate where the king is said to be buried. It traces the site from worship to scholarship to burial in one visit.
We move through the monastery room by room, giving the mosaics time to read properly on camera, then step out to the academy ruins. I keep the history in order as we go, and there is time for questions once we reach the grave.
It suits anyone interested in medieval Georgian history and learning, and it pairs naturally with a Motsameta session nearby.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 7 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Kutaisi before heading out.
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Gelati's main cathedral 21 min
The camera moves through the monastery's main church, and I point out the mosaics inside that survive from the twelfth century.
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The academy ruins 21 min
You see the remains of the academy King David the Builder founded here in the 12th century, once a leading centre of Georgian scholarship and manuscript study.
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King David's grave 21 min
We stop at the gate where King David the Builder is said to be buried, and I explain why he chose to be buried under the threshold.
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Your questions 14 min
Time to ask anything about Kutaisi: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 6 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Satsivi and Rioni riverside, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Tbilisi time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 8 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Kutaisi, showing you Gelati's main cathedral and The academy ruins live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to know the history already?
No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet; the link comes with your booking. I show Gelati Monastery live with my phone.
Times shown in Tbilisi time (GMT+4)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Tue 27 Oct · 8 seats left From 28,00 €
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