Nino Bagrationi
Giorgi Bagrationi
Giorgi Bagrationi
Gia Shervashidze

Standing on the left side of the Karchkhala gorge, on a slope of a tall hill, Tskarostavi Monastery was founded by Ilarion of Tskarostavi in the 830s-40s.

The monastery is remarkable for its large scale. It consisted of a domed church, several hall-type churches, two of which were erected on the top of the cliff, a huge double-storeyed refectory, chambers and interconnected monastic buildings. The ruins preserve arched openings and vaults. The structures are mostly built of roughly cut light grey sandstone and basalt. The principal church was a cross-domed building of which only the north arms walls, part of the north wall of the west arm and the northern pastophorium with a vault, a conch and a roof survive.

It is built of smoothly finished light grey sandstone and is characterised by picturesque masonry. Regretabbly, the head ornaments and decorative stones are missing.

A large two-storeyed refectory stands to the south-east of the church. A hall on the second level opens onto the gorge with a doorway and small arched windows.