Gremi is a relatively late construction, closely associated with the Kakhetian king George I (also known as the unified Georgian king George VIII). According to historical chronicles, he “transformed Gremi into the capital city of er-Kakhov and built a grand palace.” This development took place shortly after the year 1471, marking the birth of the town of Gremi.
In 1520, King Levan ascended to the throne, and his wife, Tinatin, established the New Shuamta Monastery. By 1565, the Archangel Church was built on a rock in the center of the city, leading to the foundation of the Archangel Monastery. Levan passed away in 1574 and was buried in this Archangel Church, rather than in the customary Alaverdi Monastery. The church was adorned with frescoes in 1577.
In the spring of 1614, the army of Shah Abbas invaded Kakheti. After celebrating the New Year (March 22) in Kiziki, the Shah approached the city of Gremi. Iskander Munshi notes, almost without context, that Gremi housed a large, beautiful, and richly decorated church. He is clearly referring to the Archangel Church, as there are no records of any other church of comparable size. The Shah commanded that it be proclaimed in this church that there is no god but Allah, and he left it at that, choosing not to destroy anything within the church.
However, in 1616, during a second raid, the Persians devastated the city of Gremi. Fortunately, the Archangel Church and its bell tower survived and still stand today, which is why this complex is now referred to as “Gremi Castle.” In the final years of Gremi’s existence, the great martyr Ketevan resided there. The Persians executed her in 1624 in Iran. Since then, she has been regarded as the patroness of Gremi, with daily prayers held in her honor at the Archangel Church.
In 1640, a Moscow embassy led by Fyodor Volkonsky arrived in Kakheti via Tusheti. The embassy report states, “On the 2nd of October, the ambassadors arrived in Crimea and stayed at the Archangel Monastery.” This indicates that by that time, Gremi Castle no longer existed, and only the monastery remained. The embassy was accommodated specifically in the monastery rather than in the town. “That monastery stands on a high mountain, on a promontory, and is attached to the mountain.”
The report also describes the Archangel Church: “In the monastery, there is a church dedicated to the Archangel Michael; it is built with four corners, measuring 10 sazhens in length and 5 sazhens in width. It has two columns; built on a foundation of wild stone, with bricks laid in lime; above is the neck (drum of the dome). The altar is not separated from the church; there is no cross on the church. It is inscribed with wall writing. The doors are made of wood; the altar is stone and octagonal; there are no images. On one side of the altar, there is a place for the sacrificial altar, and on the other side, a place for the boundary. The altar is attached to the wall and is not separated from the church.”
The Archangel Monastery was still operational in the 1940s, housing two Russian monks, but later, the communists decided to impose order and expelled the monks. In 1999, the monastery was revitalized.
By 2011, the area was landscaped, complete with parking and a map stand, and subsequently, some of the city’s ruins underwent reconstruction. However, during this process, the exhibition of the castle museum was relocated to Sighnaghi.