Metekhi

Metekhi (Metechi; Georgian: მეტეხი) is a historic neighborhood of Tbilisi, Georgia, located (42.92N 44.34E) on the elevated cliff that overlooks the Mtkvari river. The neighborhood is home to the eponymous Metekhi Church of Assumption. The district was one of the earliest inhabited areas on the city's territory. According to traditional accounts, King Vakhtang I Gorgasali erected here a church and a fort which served also as a king's residence; hence comes the name Metekhi which dates back to the 12th century and literally means “the area around the palace”. Tradition holds that it was also a site where the 5th-century martyr lady Saint Shushanik was buried. However, none of these structures have survived the Mongol invasion of 1235. The extant Metekhi Church of Assumption, resting upon the top of the hill, was built by the Georgian king St Demetrius II circa 1278–1284 and is somewhat an unusual example of domed Georgian Orthodox church. It was later damaged and restored several times. Safavid-appointed vali/king Rostom (r. 1633–1658) fortified the area around the church with a strong citadel and garrisoned it with Iranian soldiers.