Mtatsminda-MamaDaviti

On the flank of Mtatsminda is located saint David’s church. By the legend, in VI century on the frank of hill Mtatsminda settled saint Dvaid, he built cell and place for praying, which was destroyed in XVI century and in XIX century on that place was built cupola church. There is a legend about spring nearby church, that woman who wished an inmost wish, should insert little stone to this spring and then put it to the church’s wall, and if the stone stands on its place that means that god heared her prayings  and with will come true. Also there is the pantheon of Georgian writers and public figures. On the upper terrace of the pantheon there are graves of Nikoloz Baratashvili, Vajha Pshavela, Ilia Chavchavadze, Akaki Tsereteli, Iakob Gogebashvili, Kote Marjanishvili, Galaktion Tabidzis, Ioseb Grishashvili, Sergo Zakariadze, Lado Gudiashvili and other famous figures, also there is buried mother of I.Stalin – Ekaterine Djugashvili. In central part there is a vault of Ilia Chavchavadze graven in rock – Iakob Nikoladze’s bas-relief in red marble “grieving homeland”. In southern side of pantheon lies remains of Akaki Tsereteli, there are only black labradorite stones on his grave and single epitaph – “Akaki”; According to  Alexander Griboedovs’s will his remains were moved to Tbilisi and interred on Mtatsminda, down at his grave there is a statue - woman with deep sorrow  folds her arms around the cross, and inscription says: “your mind and deeds are eternal in Russian people’s memory, but why did it happened that my love to you is longer than your life” these tragic words belongs to writer’s widow, 16 years old Nino Chavchavadze, daughter of poet, public figure Alexander Chavchavadze, after death she was also interred there.

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