Ikalto Academy

This compact religious complex with monastery and academy is situated 9 kilometres (6 miles) from Telavi within a walled garden dominated by tall cypress trees. Its first church was founded in the 6th century by Saint Zenon, one of the Thirteen Assyrian Fathers. Two other churches were added later and in the 12th century an academy was also constructed, during the reign of King David the Builder. This included a refectory and wine-making facilities with qvevri rooms and grape-crushing stalls. Viticulture, chanting and winemaking were taught to the students along with more intellectual subjects: theology, rhetoric, astronomy, philosophy, geography and geometry.