Gergeti Trinity Church

Gergeti Trinity Church, or Gergeti Sameba, stands above Stepantsminda on a slope beneath Mount Kazbek like a guardian of the mountains. Built in the 14th century from stone blocks, it has austere reliefs and a dim interior lit only through narrow windows; there is no electricity. The church was erected on the site of a pagan sanctuary and preserves a silver ram associated with older beliefs. During periods of danger, church relics, including Saint Nino's cross, were hidden here. It now functions as a men's monastery, and Gergetoba, a festival of spiritual love, is celebrated each July 16. The ascent from Stepantsminda can be made on foot along a winding path or by vehicle, rewarded by views of Kazbek and the church.

The Virgin Mary is said to have shown local shepherds where to build the church. When the builders nearly finished and ran out of stone, new material appeared miraculously the next morning, as though the mountain itself ensured the church's completion.