Join me in Stepantsminda, Georgia (aka: Kazbegi) as we ascend to the top of this 2170 meter mountain to discover the mysterious church at the top! You can also watch and share this video on Facebook and YouTube.

Who built it? Why HERE at the very top of this steep mountain? Why was it the only cross-cupola church constructed in Georgia's Khevi province? Why were the bell towers built separate from the church itself?

About Gergeti Trinity Church

Gergeti Trinity Church, otherwise known as Holy Trinity Church, is located in the small mountain town of Stepantsminda, Georgia, which the town itself is also commonly referred to as Kazbegi. Two names for the church, and two names for the town, which took a hot minute to figure out when I first arrived in Georgia.

How To Reach Stepantsminda from Tbilisi

Stepantsminda is located about 10km from the Russian border in northeast Georgia (the country, not the US State if that's not obvious by now). It's accessible from Tbilisi via an approximately 3 hour bus ride from the Didube Bus Station, where you'll find buses that'll take you to Stepantsminda for about 10 GEL (roughly $3.50 USD). The buses run frequently to Stepantsminda from Tbilisi, but the schedule is more infrequent returning, especially Sunday evenings. You may have to take a private taxi for about 25 GEL ($8.00 USD) on the way back.

History of Gergeti Trinity Church

Apart from its religious purpose, this church used to serve as a hiding place for both people and treasures during the numerous invasions that plagued Georgia's past. Situated like a fortress atop one of the highest mountains in Georgia, this church became a safe haven from enemies who rarely dared to make the trek.

During the Soviet era, religious services were prohibited, but the church became a popular tourist destination, a midpoint for travelers in their way to Mount Kazbegi and Gergeti Glacier.

Today, the historic structure serves as an active establishment of the Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church, with regular services every Sunday, and as a top visited tourist destination for tourists who visit Georgia.

Apart from that, no one knows much about this church. Who built it? Why here at the very top of this steep mountain? Why was it the only cross-cupola church constructed in Georgia's Khevi province? Why were the bell towers built separate from the church itself?

If you've got any additional information about the history of Gergeti Trinity Church, I'd love to hear it! Drop a comment below this post or e-mail [email protected].

Watch more travel videos

So far I've only produced two other videos while in Georgia. The first was called I Gave Money To Everyone about my day long experiment where I gave money to every person who asked in Tbilisi, and the second video was called 10 Surprising Things About Tbilisi Georgia where my friend Yeye Fu and I shared what we’ve learned about Tbilisi and Georgian culture during our first few weeks in the city as digital nomads.

I've got more videos from Georgia on the way, so be sure to subscribe to my Friends List to get notifications when they're published. You can also subscribe on Facebook and YouTube. Lastly, you can watch the rest of my videos (not just about Georgia) here.

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