The Monastery of the Holy Cross, or Jvari, is a Georgian church from the first half of the 7th century. It became the first UNESCO World Heritage site in Georgia (since 1994). Located on a mountain peak near Mtskheta, at the confluence of the Aragvi and Kura rivers, the church stands at the site where, according to historical sources (“The Conversion of Georgia,” “The Life of the Georgian Kings”), Saint Nino erected a cross in the 4th century. It is believed that this cross was miraculous and therefore attracted pilgrims from all over the Caucasus.
From the life of the holy martyr Eustathius of Mtskheta (who was killed when Georgia was under Persian rule), it is known that there was no church on this site as of the mid-6th century. Eustathius, on his way to execution, worshiped the cross standing on the mountain.
Between 545 and 586, during the reign of Guram I, a small Mtskheta church was built here, which is now located on the northern side of the Jvari church. Later, the ruler’s son, Stepanoz I, constructed the current Jvari cross-domed monastery between 585 and 604. Externally, the church is a large octagonal base topped with a hexagonal dome and cross.