Kutaisi: the mythological cradle of the Golden Fleece

The Cathedral of Bagrati, built in the eleventh century and partially reconstructed after centuries of ruin, dominates the city from atop its hill.

Just a few kilometers away, the Gelati Monastery, founded in 1106, preserves medieval frescoes and was once an academic center among the most important in the Caucasus.

Descending towards the center, you walk through the city's covered market, where spices, cheeses, and churchkhela, the traditional Georgian sweet of walnuts and grape must, are still sold.

Towards evening, the Prometheus Caves, just outside the city, offer an illuminated path through stalactites and stalagmites in a system of underground galleries.

According to legend, in this region, once known as Colchis, Prometheus was supposedly chained by the gods for stealing fire: caves bearing his name directly evoke that myth.

The Gelati Monastery was for centuries the seat of an academy that gathered philosophers and theologians from throughout the Caucasus, an intellectual role that earned it UNESCO World Heritage recognition.