Historic sites in Imereti

The Imereti region serves as a gateway to Georgia's architectural and archaeological heritage. This collection features the 11th-century Bagrati Cathedral and the Gelati Monastery complex, both cornerstone examples of the Georgian Golden Age. Beyond these UNESCO sites, the list explores the ruins of the 12th-century Geguti Royal Palace, the ancient Colchian urban center at Vani, and the Roman-era fortifications of Rhodopolis. Prehistoric history is also represented through fossilized dinosaur footprints preserved within the Sataplia Nature Reserve.

Historic Sites in Imereti — Map

Andrzej Wójtowicz / CC BY-SA 2.0

A

Bagrati Cathedral

The Cathedral of the Dormition, or the Kutaisi Cathedral, more commonly known as Bagrati Cathedral, is an 11th-century cathedral in the…

DAVID HOLT / CC BY-SA 2.0

B

Gelati Monastery Complex

Gelati is a medieval monastic complex near Kutaisi in the Imereti region of western Georgia.

Sopho Guliuashvili / CC BY-SA 4.0

C

Royal Palace of Geguti

The Royal Palace of Geguti was a Georgian royal palace active during the Middle Ages.

Jonathan Cardy / CC BY-SA 3.0

D

Vani archaeological site

The Vani archaeological site is a multi-layer archaeological site in western Georgia, located on a hill at the town of Vani in the Imereti…

E

Shorapani Castle

A historic fortress mentioned by the Greek geographer Strabo, situated at the confluence of the Qvirila and Dzirula rivers. The site features ruins of medieval walls built upon ancient foundations that once guarded the trade route to the Black Sea.

F

Rhodopolis

Known historically as Vardtsikhe, this site contains the ruins of a major 4th to 6th-century fortress and settlement. It served as a strategic defensive point for the Kingdom of Lazica during the Byzantine–Sassanid Wars.

G

Dinosaur footprints

Preserved within the Sataplia Nature Reserve, these fossilized tracks date back to the Cretaceous period. The site features dozens of footprints from both herbivorous and carnivorous dinosaurs, protected within a dedicated conservation building.

H

Bzhinevis(didvelis) tsikhis nangrevebi

Ruins of a medieval fortification located in the Chiatura municipality. The site preserves remnants of defensive walls and stone structures typical of the region's mountain outposts.

Other Lists

Imereti Essentials Natural Wonders Sacred Sites of Imereti