{{Short description|Cultural heritage monument in Georgia}} {{Infobox religious building | building_name = Motsameta Monastery | image = {{Not a typo|Motsameta monastery.JPG}}<!-- Do not change the spelling of the file! --> | alt = | image_size = | caption = The Motsameta Monastery | map_type = Georgia Imereti#Georgia | map_size = | map_relief = yes | location = {{flagicon|Georgia}} Kutaisi, Georgia | geo = {{coord|42|16|55|N|42|45|33|E|display=inline,title}} | religious_affiliation = Georgian Orthodox Church | district = | consecration_year = | status = | leadership = | website = | architect = | architecture_type = Monastery, church, castle | architecture_style = Georgian | facade_direction = | year_started = | year_completed = | construction_cost = | capacity = | length = | width = | width_nave = | height_max = | dome_quantity = | dome_height_outer = | dome_height_inner = | dome_dia_outer = | dome_dia_inner = | minaret_quantity = | minaret_height = | spire_quantity = | spire_height = | materials = }}

'''Motsameta''' ({{Lang-ka|მოწამეთა}}) also known as '''Motsameta Monastery''' is a complex of monasteries at the Imereti region, approximately 6&nbsp;km northeast of the center of Kutaisi, Georgia. The monastery is picturesquely located on the cliff of a promontory in the curve of the Tskaltsitela river, a tributary of the Rioni river.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://eurasia.travel/georgia/places/western_georgia/kutaisi/motsameta/ |title=Motsameta Monastery, Georgia |website=eurasia.travel |access-date=2019-08-06}}</ref>

== History == Its name, whose meaning is the "Place of the Martyrs", is related to the brothers of a noble family of Argveti, David and Constantine, who organized a rebellion against the occupying Arabs in the 8th century.<ref name="Gruzja 2012">{{Cite book |title=Gruzja, Armenia i Azerbejdżan – Magiczne Zakaukazie |year=2012 |isbn=978-83-246-7447-3 |pages=149-150}}</ref>

When the rebellion failed, they were captured and then they were promised forgiveness in exchange for converting to Islam. None accepted the offer, and they were later tortured and killed, and their bodies were thrown into the river. The water turned red and in memory of this event, the river was called Ckalcitela, which means red water. According to the story, the brothers' remains were captured by the lions and taken to the hill,<ref name="Sławomir 2013">{{Cite book |title=Gruzja, Armenia i Azerbejdżan |last=Sławomir |first=Adamczak |year=2013 |isbn=978-83-7642-141-4 |pages=181}}</ref> where the Gelati monastery is located. Later, the Orthodox Church of Georgia recognized them as Saints, and in the 11th century, the king Bagrat IV of Georgia founded a temple there.<ref name="Gruzja 2012" /><ref name="Sławomir 2013" /> Officials from the Bolshevik secret police in 1923 took the remains of David and Constantine from the Gelati monastery to the museum in Kutaisi, but this caused such a scandal that the relics were delivered quickly and are still in the monasteries today.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Gruzja w pigułce |last=Grzegorz |first=Petryszat |year=2013 |isbn=978-83-62460-37-3 |pages=149}}</ref> According to legend, there is a secret passage between the Motsameta monasteries and the Gelati monastery, used during the wars.

<gallery class="center" widths="150" heights="150"> მოწამეთის მონასტერი.jpg|Monastery buildings {{Not a typo|Motsameta monastery (panorama photo).jpg}}<!-- Do not change the spelling of the file! -->|Monastery church Моцамета.jpg|Georgian inscription of the Motsameta Monastery </gallery>

== See also == * Gelati Monastery

== References == {{Commons category|Motsameta monastery}} {{Reflist}}

{{Georgian Churches}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Georgian Orthodox monasteries Category:Immovable Cultural Monuments of National Significance of Georgia Category:Tourist attractions in Imereti