Samtavro is a complex of XI century located in the downtown Mtskheta. It consists of a big Episcopacy cathedral, St. Nino church, belfry, fence, tower and living and service quarters built later. According to historical reports, in VI-VIII cc. this was a residence of the ruling prince of Kartli wherefrom comes its name – Samtavro (Principality). Here lived Nino who arrived to Georgia to preach Christianity. Today it is a convent.

Big cathedral is a cross-dome construction (27 x 23 m) with south, north and west annexes. As a result of an earthquake in 1283, a dome collapsed and was restored on the edge of XII-XIV cc. In the end of XVII c., in the second half of XIX centuries and in 1974 cathedral was fundamentally renovated. In the south-western corner of the cathedral there are gravesites of the first Christian king of Georgia, Mirian, and queen Nana. Monument of the gravesite has been renewed in XIX century. Painting of the cathedral belongs to XVII century.

Church of St. Nino is a small-scale dome construction (6,2 x 3,9 m). It stands to the east of the big cathedral. It was built by king Mirian on this blackberry bush area where Nino settled first. Interior of the church is painted with compositions on the life of St. Nino and other themes. Painting is primitive and late.

Three-story belfry (4,7 x 5,8 m) was built in XV-XVI cc. with square cut yellowish-grayish sandstone, in twenty meters to the north-west from the cathedral, on the elevated platform.

From old fence remained a damaged cylindrical tower standing in the south-western corner of the courtyard, on the height (today living quarters of the convent). It was built in XVIII c. Existing fence belongs to XIX century.

Shiomgvime monastic complex was one of the outstanding religious and cultural centers in the feudal time Georgia. It is located some 40 km from Tbilisi, in Mtskheta region, on the left bank of river Mtkvari. It was founded in the second half of VI century by one of the Assyrian preachers named Shio. As the sources tell us, Shio spent the last years of his life in dark and deep cave and after demise, according to his will, he was buried there. That is where the name comes from – Shios mgvime (Cave of Shio). His grave in Shiomgvime is a sacred place. Shiomgvime monastic complex includes: dome church of John the Baptist (middle of VI c.), the Upper church (XI-XII cc.), refectory (XII c.) and a chapel near monastery (XII c.). Water was supplied to monastery from the hamlet of Skhaltbi. Shiomgvime was a hotbed of culture and education in medieval Georgia. The library of Shiomgvime kept a rich collection of manuscripts. In Tbilisi the monastery held vending booths and bred livestock for sale. It enjoyed privilege and was exempt from any court (partly), Eparchy and state taxes. From VI century up to the beginning of XII century Shiomgvime was in the direct supervision of Catholicos-Patriarch. David Agmashenebeli turned it into a Royal ownership. In XIII-XVIII centuries political and economic position of Shiomgvime went down. In XIX-XX centuries Shiomgvime was fundamentally restored.

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