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This is a nation where a long tradition of religious tolerance unites people instead of dividing them. Throughout all its history, strangers of all faiths have always been welcome in Georgia. Living in the mountains and on the borders of so many civilizations one begins to appreciate the mysterious and learns to live within the numinous. Of course, the primary religion here is Christian as it has been since the fourth century. The Georgian Orthodox Church is at the heart of the nations soul, fundamental to its history, an indisputable part of its future.
There is no better way to catch the inimitable atmosphere of Georgia's history than in its churches. These cupola-domed structures are found from one side our nation to the other. Perched on mountaintops high up in the Greater Caucasus, Mt Kazbegi, or carved into sandstone hillsides, as in Vardzia or David Gareji. The walls are usually covered in frescos and frequently resound with the sounds of our polyphonic choirs. Stand in Tbilisi's Sioni Cathedral on a Sunday morning and experience the sounds of a religious tradition spanning nearly two thousand years. Visit the splendid Gelati complex near Kutaisi (Georgia's second city) and see a large cathedral covered floor to cupola-top with magnificent frescos and mosaics. Wind your way up into the remote mountain valleys of Svaneti and encounter superb 12th century frescos in the most far-flung churches, as well as several museums packed with elegant icons and treasures.
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