Martkopi Monastery

Martkopi Monastery stands in the hills near the village of Martkopi, 25 kilometers from Tbilisi. The complex includes a main domed church, a bell tower dated 1699, Saint Anthony's tower, and other buildings. The main church was rebuilt in the 19th century but retains medieval features in its gables and three-part eastern façade. The monastery was founded by Saint Anthony, who arrived from Edessa around 545; his solitary life is reflected in the name Martkopi, meaning 'one who lives alone.' It became the residence of the Bishop of Rustavi in the 13th century, was plundered by Timur in 1395, and reconstructed in the late 17th century. Soviet authorities closed it in 1934 and used it as an orphanage and holiday base before returning it to the Church in 1989. The bell tower is decorated with crosses, diamonds, and pointed arches, while a marble stone marks Saint Anthony's grave. Today, the monastery is a national cultural monument and an active spiritual center.

Saint Anthony brought a miraculous image of Christ to Georgia and first lived on Mount Zedazeni with other Assyrian Fathers. He later traveled through the mountains north of present-day Tbilisi, converting local people. Seeking solitude, he settled in a cave on Arian Mountain, later called Martkopi, where hunters eventually discovered him. He built a tower and received his first disciples. A hagiographic story says a local ruler ordered Anthony's hand cut off after the saint remained silent. The blacksmith's arms froze when he tried to obey, and Anthony's hand glowed like burning coals. The astonished ruler offered him any reward; Anthony asked only for salt for his deer, showing compassion for all living things.