Martvili's monastery, a medieval Georgian cultural centre, sits on a serene hilltop overlooking the town and the surrounding valleys and hills. Its church dates from the 7th century, with its original design based on the Jvari Church near Mtskheta. The interesting frescoes inside include portraits of the Dadiani royal house of Megrelia (Samegrelo), and a famous 17th-century Virgin on the apse ceiling.