Ikalto

The monastery was founded in the second half of the 6th century, founded by Zeno Iqaltoeli ( dt coming from Iqalto ), a Christian religious leaders, who belonged to the so-called 13 Syrian Fathers. He is said to be buried there.

In the 12th century founded the theologian arsenic Iqaltoeli, on behalf of the Georgian king David the Builder, the Academy. He was trained at the Academy of Mangana in Constantinople Opel and initially worked together with John Petritsi in the older Academy of Gelati. The Academy was for centuries the cultural center of Georgia. She taught theology, philosophy, astronomy, rhetoric, law and mathematics. At the site also viticulture and a blacksmith were operated. 1616, the Academy was destroyed by I. Shah Abbas.

1938, the site was archaeologically investigated. Here, 59 buildings were found, several craft shops and a winery. On the site is now home to three churches and the ruins of the Academy. The main church, Chwtaeba (Eng. Holy Spirit ), dates from the 8th century.