Gergeti Trinity Church
게르게티 삼위일체 교회
Gergeti Trinity Church is a small stone church standing alone on a ridge in Georgia, near the village of Stepantsminda. It sits at 2,170 metres above sea level on the right bank of the Chkheri River, and behind it rise the glaciers of Mount Kazbek, which is 5,054 metres high. The view has made the church a symbol of Georgia.
See it on the 3D globe →At a glance
- Country
- Georgia
- Location
- Kazbegi, Georgia
- Built
- 14th c.
- Type
- Religious building
Quick answers
Where is Gergeti Trinity Church?
Gergeti Trinity Church is in Kazbegi, Georgia.
A lone 14th-century church on a 2,170 m ridge beneath the glaciers of Mount Kazbek.
The church was built in the 14th century by an unknown architect. It is a cross-in-square church with a dome, and its walls are covered in dark-grey stone. A separate belltower stands to the south, and a wall surrounds the little group of buildings.
Architecture
The church has four arms, three of them rectangular and one rounded where the altar apse is. There are two entrances, from the south and west, and several windows in the dome. Outside decoration is found mostly around the doors and windows, with small crosses and carved patterns. Only traces of the original wall paintings remain. The belltower, with its cube-shaped base, holds the entrance to the little church ensemble.
Visiting today
The church is a popular stop for hikers in the region. You can climb the steep mountain path to it in about an hour and a half. According to the Georgian writer Vakhushti Bagrationi, in dangerous times valuable relics, including the cross of Saint Nino from Mtskheta, were kept safe in this remote church. Many hikers stop here before going on to the higher slopes.
Fun facts
- It stands 2,170 metres above sea level.
- Mount Kazbek rises behind it to 5,054 metres.
- It is the only church in the Khevi region with a cross-shaped dome.
On the globe
The model shows a lone church on a high ridge beneath the glaciers of Mount Kazbek.
Nearby on the globe
Sources
Updated: 2026-10-14