Kakheti
Alaverdi Monastery, Georgia: History, Dress Code, Cellar
A practical guide to visiting Alaverdi Monastery in Kakheti, covering the strict dress code, transport routes, and the 11th-century qvevri wine cellar.
On this page 9
- History and Age of the Monastery
- The Complex and Surviving Frescoes
- Dress Code and Photography Rules
- Visiting the 11th-Century Wine Cellar
- Winemaking Methods and Production
- Arranging a Cellar Visit and Tasting
- Time Required and Festivals
- Travel Routes from Tbilisi
- Distances and Transport from Telavi
Located in the Alazani Valley in the eastern Kakheti region, Alaverdi Monastery is a working Georgian Orthodox site with daily morning and evening religious services. Alongside its religious functions, the site houses an active 11th-century wine cellar.
The complex is situated approximately 20 kilometres north of Telavi. This guide covers the practicalities of visiting, including the strict dress code, the history of the cathedral, and the logistics of accessing the monks’ qvevri wine production.
History and Age of the Monastery
Joseph Alaverdeli, one of the Thirteen Assyrian Fathers, founded the original monastery in the 6th century.
The primary structure on the site today is the Cathedral of St. George. King Kvirike III of Kakheti commissioned this building in the early 11th century, around the year 1020.
The cathedral measures 41.7 metres in length and 26.4 metres in width. It stands between 51 and 55 metres tall. It held the title of the tallest church in Georgia for nearly a millennium, losing this status only in 2004, when the Holy Trinity (Sameba) Cathedral was consecrated in the capital, Tbilisi.
The Complex and Surviving Frescoes
A fortified defensive wall constructed in the 19th century encloses the perimeter of the complex. Inside these walls, the grounds contain a historic bathhouse, a bell tower, and the brick palace of Peikar Khan, which dates back to the 17th century. The monastery is on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.
Inside the Cathedral of St. George, the walls contain fragments of original medieval frescoes. During the Russian Empire era, these were whitewashed. The whitewash was removed in the 1960s to reveal the surviving artwork.
Dress Code and Photography Rules
Entry to the Alaverdi Monastery complex is free of charge. The monastery enforces a strict dress code for all visitors, which is checked at the entrance gate.
| Visitor | Clothing Requirements |
|---|---|
| Women | Must wear an ankle-length skirt. Hair must be covered with a headscarf. Shoulders and knees must be entirely covered. |
| Men | Must wear long trousers. Shoulders and knees must be covered. |
Wrap skirts, headscarves, and trousers are provided free of charge at the entrance gate for visitors who need them.
Photography rules are strictly enforced. Photography is permitted in the courtyard and outside the cathedral. However, flash is prohibited inside. Taking photographs during religious services is not allowed.
Visiting the 11th-Century Wine Cellar
The monastery complex includes a historic working wine cellar (known in Georgian as a marani). Archaeological excavations carried out on the grounds in 2005 and 2006 revealed clay wine vessels (qvevri) dating from the 8th to the 10th centuries.
King Kvirike III built the large royal wine cellar alongside the cathedral in the 11th century. Following the archaeological excavations, this 11th-century cellar was renovated. It resumed operation shortly after, producing its first modern vintage in 2006.
Today, the monastery produces wine under the brand name “Since 1011” (ბერების ღვინო Since 1011-დან).
Winemaking Methods and Production
The monks make their wine using the traditional Georgian qvevri method. The process utilises indigenous yeast and endemic Kakhetian grape varieties, including Rkatsiteli and Saperavi. In total, the cellar produces seven different varieties of wine.
The qvevri are buried beneath the floor of the cellar. The cellar features glass plates set into the floor over 12 to 16 qvevri lids, allowing visitors to see the vessels.
The white (amber) wines produced here undergo skin contact for five to six months. The monastery produces both qvevri wines and wines aged in French oak barrels. The modern production capacity of the cellar is strictly capped at 30 tonnes of wine.
Arranging a Cellar Visit and Tasting
Unlike a commercial winery, the Alaverdi Monastery wine cellar is not open to general visitors for walk-in tastings.
Tastings and cellar visits require advance arrangement through a guide or a phone call.
There is no formal tasting room with a price list. Tastings occur directly inside the working cellar. The wine is poured either from prepared samples or drawn straight from the qvevri into small clay or glass bowls.
Time Required and Festivals
The recommended duration for a standard visit to the cathedral and the exterior grounds is 40 to 60 minutes. A visit that includes a wine tasting takes approximately 1.5 hours.
The monastery hosts Alaverdoba, a large religious and harvest festival. This event takes place annually around 27 September.
Travel Routes from Tbilisi
The drive from Tbilisi to Alaverdi covers between 110 and 140 kilometres, depending on the exact roads taken. The route can be driven via the Gombori Pass, which takes about 2 to 2.5 hours by car.
Marshrutkas (minivans) operate from Tbilisi’s Ortachala Bus Station to Telavi.
Distances and Transport from Telavi
The monastery is situated in Alaverdi village, between 18 and 21 kilometres north of Telavi. Driving from Telavi to the monastery takes approximately 25 to 30 minutes.
From Telavi, marshrutkas heading towards Akhmeta pass by the monastery in Alaverdi village.
For visitors driving to the monastery, Our Old House is a four-room guest house in the centre of Telavi offering free private parking on site.