Tourist Agency "Visit Georgia"

IMERETI – The Land of the Golden Fleece

Have you heard of Jason and the Argonauts? Of course you have… but do you know where their long quest for the Golden Fleece eventually took them? And even if you’ve heard of the fabulously wealthy Kingdom of Colchis, where King Aeetes kept the treasured fleece under jealous guard, you probably don’t know exactly where that kingdom lies, right?
The answer to the question is to be found in West Georgia - the historic region of Imereti.
Sadly, today we can’t show you the Golden Fleece - legend says it was spirited away to Greece long ago - but as Jason himself put it, “in Colchis there is something else of worth besides the Golden Fleece.” The same is true of Colchis - or Imereti - today. 

***UNESCO World Heritage Sites                Bagrati Cathedral – 11th century                Gelati Monastery  - 12th century                          HIGHLIGHTS                          The City of Kutaisi                          Bagrati Cathedral                          Gelati Monastery                          Motsameta Church                          Vani Archaeological Complex                          Sataplia Nature Reserve                          Ubisa Church

The pleasant city of Kutaisi has a long and venerable history. The region has been inhabited for at least three millennia, and the city may well have been the capital of Colchis itself. More recently, Kutaisi spent a century and a half as the capital of Georgia and is today the second largest city in the country.
Bagrati Cathedral (11^th century) was the tallest church in Georgia until an explosion in the 17^th century reduced it to picturesque ruins. Even in its ruined state, you can’t help but admire the stately grandeur of this lofty cathedral as it gazes down upon the city of Kutaisi.
Gelati was founded in the 12^th century as a monastery and academy by Georgia’s greatest king - David the Builder. He himself is buried here, not far from the great Cathedral of the Virgin Mary, whose stunning altar mosaic is one of the undoubted masterpieces of sacred art in Georgia.
Motsameta Church (11^th century) - To make your dearest wish come true, simply crawl three times under the tomb of the two princely martyrs for whom this church is named. Locals say that it never fails!
Sataplia is one of Georgia’s finest nature reserves, known also for its fabulous cave formations and the prehistoric dinosaur footprints preserved here.
The antique city of Vani  (7^th –1^st centuries BC) is again coming to light thanks to the work of archaeologists. Temples and sacrificial altars from the period before the birth of Christ have yielded up beautiful examples of gold and silver jewellery and coins, all of which are now on display at the Georgian State Museum in Tbilisi.
Ubisa Church (9^th century) - A visit to this modest church will reward you with a sight of some of the best frescoes in Georgia. It should not be missed!