Chapels are usually located on hills, in small stone buildings along roads, or caves. How often did you pray in a tree? If you don`t have such an experience in your life, then hurry up to visit the Kutaisi Botanical Garden in Georgia.

The garden was laid out on the banks of the Rioni River in the 19th century. Since that time the garden has grown, the infrastructure has become better, paths have been paved with paving stones, several fountains and artificial ponds have been built, and the walks have become much nicer. Now the Kutaisi Botanical Garden has about 700 plants, trees, and shrubs from all over the world.

However, the main attraction of the Kutaisi Botanical Garden is the chapel. Perhaps, it is one of the most unusual chapels in the world, since it is located inside a 400-year-old oak tree, that is listed in the Red List. A hollow appeared in the trunk in the middle of the 20th century. The oak did not dry up, despite people’s concerns. Each year it continued to please visitors and employees with new acorns. Then the director of the Kutaisi Botanical Garden found a way to use this hollow. He built the chapel inside. The tree was treated very carefully. Employees of the Kutaisi Botanical Garden cleaned and treated the tree bark with a preservative.

Locals helped with the design. They brought icons to hang on the walls. A wooden cross and a small window were installed above the entrance. By the way, the chapel door also deserves attention. It is transparent and decorated with stained glass. The room is small, but it can easily accommodate three people. The chapel is surrounded by a low wooden fence, and the ground is covered with rubble.

There are a lot of people who want to confess or just take a photo next to the oldest oak tree and this chapel. After you finally take a photo, go for a walk in the Kutaisi Botanical Garden. Enjoy the singing of birds that hide in the dense thickets of local trees, feel the aroma of exotic flowers. Take some rest. The Kutaisi Botanical Garden is a very peaceful place. The serenity of this place can only be disturbed by athletes who choose local treadmills for training.