Ninotsminda Monastery

Located in the village of Ninotsminda nearby Sagarejo town in Gare (Outer) Kakheti, Ninotsminda Cathedral has a long and strife-ridden history. Over 1200 years of its existence, the cathedral has been destroyed and rebuilt many times. Only the altar has remained intact throughout these many resurrections, although it was decorated with frescoes of the Mother of God, archangels, and the apostles during the 18th century.

The current incarnation of the cathedral is largely from the 18th century. Its walls preserve inscriptions in Khutsuri, one of the ancient versions of Georgian alphabet, as well as in Latin, while the yard of the cathedral is still protected by the wall and towers built at that time. A 16th-century bell tower can also be found in the yard. The walls and towers are typical of Georgian churches, which often had to double as places of shelter during times of war. Ninotsminda also used to have a rich library, which unfortunately didn't survive till our time. 

Across its history, the cathedral and the attached monastery have enjoyed the patronage of many kings of Kakheti, including Levan, Aleksandre, and Davit I, as well as the kings of Kartli - Rostom and Archil.

In recent years, the monastery has reopened, with an attached convent also having opened towards the end of the 20th century.