Ikalto

Just 15 minutes' drive from Telavi is the Ikalto monastery complex and academy building. If you want to know more about Georgian medieval history and have an idea about the country's past, you definitely should visit Ikalto Academy.

Father Zenon Ikaltoeli, who founded the Ikalto monastery complex in the 6th century, is buried in the church of Ikalto. One of the most impressive parts of the Ikalto complex is the building of the Ikalto Academy. The further development of the Ikalto complex is connected with another father. His name is Arsen Ikaltoeli, and according to the evidence we have today, Father Arsen came from Western Georgia in the 12th century and founded the Academy of Ikalto.

Remaining parts of a once massive building speak about the importance of education in the Middle Ages in Georgia. When in Ikalto, it is easy to notice constructions with many different parts, and you see that each place there has its own purpose. You find the main building of the academy, which was decorated with symbolic decorations, and you see large wine-making spaces like Satsnakheli and Qvevri. It is proof that even in the Middle Ages, Georgians had developed their own wine-making process, and you see what kind of utensils they would use and how they would pass on this knowledge to new generations. Seeing a huge wine pressing utensil made totally out of stone and seeing thousands of small Qvevri makes you realize how important wine making has always been in Georgia and how they used to teach this technique to students.

So if you want to visit Ikalto Academy, text us here.