Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Monuments of Georgia's Cultural Heritage
Monuments of Georgia's Cultural Heritage
9 789941 02 725 3
teqstis avtori:
Tanaavtorebi: , ,
TEXT BY: Dimitri Tumanisvili in cooperation with Nikoloz Vacheishvili,
Maka Shavishvili, Mamuka Chkhaidze
Targmani:
TRANSLATED FROM GEORGIAN BY: Peter Dgebuadze
2010
Programme for Georgias Cultural Heritage
Preservation for the Year 2010
fotoebi: , , , ,
, ,
PHOTOS: Shalva Lejava, Kutsna Amirejibi, Mirian Kiladze, Nikoloz Vacheishvili,
Diana Bolotashvili, Giorgi Gagoshidze, David Tkeshelashvili
National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation of Georgia
/CONTENTS
4/7
9
11/13
15/17
19/20
23/25
27/29
31
33/38
43/47
49/51
53/55
57/61
63/65
67/71
73/76
79/81
83/84
87/89
91/92
95/97
99/101
105/107
109/112
115/117
119/121
123
123/129
133/135
137/139
141/145
/INTRODUCTION
/TBILISI
/Anchiskhati
/Sioni
/Metekhi Temple
/Blue Monastery
. /
Kashueti St. George Church
/SHIDA KARTLI
/SvetiTskhoveli
/Samtavro Temple
. /Holly Cross Monastery
.
/Kaloubani St. George Church
/Shiomgvime Monastery
/Zedazeni Monastery
/Samtavisi Tample
/The Magalaanti Church
/Kvatakhevi Monastery
. /Metekhi Church
. .
/St. Eustathius Church
.
/Ikvi St. George Church
/Rkoni Monastery
/Ateni Sioni Church
.
/Urbnisi St. Stephaney Cathedral
/Kintsvisi Monastery
/Samtsevrisi Church
/Tsromi Cathedral
147
149/153
157/159
161/163
165/169
171/172
175/177
179/181
183/184
187/189
191/193
195/197
199/201
203/206
209/213
215
217/219
221/222
225/227
229/231
233/234
237/240
243/245
247/251
253/254
257
259/261
263/265
267/269
273/275
/QVEMO KARTLI
/Bolnisi Sioni
/Lower Bolmisi Church
/Samshvilde
/Dmanisi
277/279
281/263
285/287
289
291/295
297/298
301/303
305
307/309
311/314
317/319
/KAKHETI
-/David Gareji
/Gremi
/Katsareti Holly Trinity Church
/Ninotsminda
/Gurjaani Kvelatsminda
/Sanagiri Church
/Vachnadziani Kvelatsminda
-/Akura Mamadaviti
/The OLd Shuamta
/The New Shuamta
/Ikalto Monastery
/Kvetera Castle
/Alaverdi Cathedral
/Nekresi
-
SAMTSKHE-JAVAKHETI
/Kvabiskhevi
/Khvilisha Church
/Tsunda Temple
/Vardzia Monastery
/Zeda (Upper) Vardzia Monastery
/Kumurdo Kathedral
. /Vale Mother of God Church
/Sapara Monastery
/Zarzma Monastery
/IMERETI
.
/Ubisa St. George Monastery
/Bagrati Cathedral
/Gelati Monastery
. .
/St. George and St. Nicolas Churches
.
/Savane St. George Church
/Katskhi Church
/Mgvimevi Nunnery
/RACHA
/Nikortsminda
/Zemo Krikhi
/Barakoni
/SAMEGRELO
/Martvili
/Khobi
/Tsalenjikha
,
.
,
.
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TBILISI
MONUMENTS OF GEORGIAS CULTURAL HERITAGE
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Tbilisi is one of the ancient Georgian cities, where by the end of
V c. AD King Vakhtang Gorgasali removed the capital of the East
Georgian Kingdom. Despite lots of ordeals during its long history
(Arabs and then other Muslims had been holding the city from VIII c.
till 1122), Tbilisi has always been the centre of East Georgia, from XII
c extending its leading position both in the country and the whole of
the Caucasus.
Current historical part of the city basically was peveloped in XIX c.
whilst the earlier buildings and palaces were destroyed during countless raids and invasions of conquerors. The latest of those rides took
place in 1795, when Persian army brutally devastated so called Old
City. Only few medieval churches have luckily survived up to now.
Like many other ancient cities, especially in the Orient, Tbilisi is the
place where prayer houses of many different people and confessions do exist almost next to each other. The fact of dominance of
that Orthodox churches here seems quite natural for the capital of
the state where the Orthodoxy has been leading confession for more
then fifteen centuries.
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METEKHI TEMPLE
Tbilisi TBILISI
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Tbilisi TBILISI
BLUE MONASTERY
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28
Tbilisi TBILISI
KASHUETI
ST. GEORGE
CHURCH
ashueti St. George Church is located on the edge of the main street of
Tbilisi Rustaveli Avenue. According to a legend the first church was
erected here as early as in VI c. in the times when famous Georgian
hermit St. David Garejeli still was a monk in Tbilisi. It is supposed that the
original building had four apses, a plain tetra-conch design with the dome
erected in the middle. A temple built here in 1735 by famous political and military figure of XVIII Prince Givi Amilakhvari had exactly the same shape- quite
unique and strange for those times, so that it is a broadly accepted idea, that
this church simply was a duplicafion of the original one. By the early XX c.
the XVIIIc.-church had turned in a bed repair it was totally cracked and
the current building was built instead. The new church design was prepared
by a German architect citizen of Tbilisi Leopold Bilfelder. Fretworks were
conducted by brothers Agladze, famous craftsmen of those times. According
to the will of Georgian nobility and clergy the XI-century Samtavisi Temple
served as a model for the new church. A crypt-like independent prayer space
arranged on the basement floor of Kashueti church for the purposes of
rescuing of old graves makes the main difference between the original and
duplication. There are several minor changes as well Kashueti windows are
larger and cut slightly lower compared to the original, thus interrupting artistic
logic of the building to some extent. Construction activities were completed
in 1910. Shortly after the end of World War II then patriarch of Georgia
Kalistrate II have commissioned one of the most celebrated Georgian artists
Lado Gudiashvili to adorn the church interior with wall painting. This task was
fulfilled only partially, the artist was able to adorn only the sanctuary. After
the interruption of Communist regime any further advance towards that aim
became impossible. The porch envisaged by Leopold Bilfelders initial design
has been annexed to the main building from the west in recent years. Several
historically important tombs are there in the church. For instance Grigol Orbeliani on of the most famous XIX c. Georgian poet and public personality is
buried here.
TbilisiKAKHE TBILISI
29
SHIDA QARTLI
MONUMENTS OF GEORGIAS CULTURAL HERITAGE
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qarTli KARTLI
SAMTAVRO TEMPLE
Tracing the history of the monastery development is rather complicated a task for today.
Quite possibly the earliest layers of the temple
could be dated back even by IV c.
47
48
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CROSS TEMPLE
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KALOUBANI
ST. GEORGE
CHURCH
55
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SHIOMGVIME MONASTERY
61
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64
ZEDAZENI MONASTERY
ounded in VI c. AD by the head of th e13 Assyrian Fathers - St. Ioane Zedazneli, (John of
Zedazeni), Zedazeni Monastery is located north-east of Mtskheta, on the slope of a hill
covered with dense virgin forest. The tradition clames that , St. John deliberately choose
this place, where the heathen idol had ones stood and did not abandon a small cave - modest
place of his hermitry even after his disciple Tateh built a real monastery in close proximity of the
cave. According to the original manuscript narrating the life and deeds of the saint father, after
his death he was buried in the cave, as was his last will. Shortly afterwards a small church was
built over St. Johns grave (apparently sometime in the turn of VI-VII cc), later incorporated into
a larger church of St. John the Baptist, constructed in the end of VIII c. under the patronage of
Patriarch Clementios.
Up to now the church is the central building of the monastery. This three nave basilica with two
pairs of roof-bearing columns is built of mixed material rubble stone, gallstone and brick. Eastern section of the northern nave incorporates the remains of the earlier, neatly hewn stonework
structure with horseshoe-shape arches. Here, next to the northern wall, St. John Zedaznelis
grave is arranged ( a gravestone embossed with beautiful risings had been erected there, the survived original parts of which are currently exhibited in the museum, while its duplicate has been
returned to the initial place). The church has got a rather peculiar rectangular sanctuary, while the
conchs are arranged over the tromps constructed in the corners. Quite possibly the building initially had an opening from the west, most probably an arch, imitating the church of Saint Grave
in Jerusalem. A well is arranged in the main temple, in western section of its northern nave, where
the spring, created by the force of St. Johns blessing and prayer is still pouring through. Central
nave of the church strongly differs from the other two. It is higher, better illuminated and treated
(a decorative arcade is arranged above the arches that split tree naves) as if it were a separate
hall, while the darkened southern nave with a square room in its eastern end gives the impression
of some kind of internal porch. The survived fragments of Zedazeni wall painting seemingly are of
later times most likely of XVII c. A stone iconostasis adorned with rising ornamentation donated
to the monastery by the Princes of Kakheti in XI c. had once been standing here. Its survived
slabs were taken to Sh. Amiranashvili Georgian State Museum of Art of Georgian National Museum and are exhibited in the permanent exposition.
Exterior of the basilica is rather plain and simple, almost ill-featured with only two slabs ornamented with crosses (one arranged on the top section of the sanctuary window frame and another
-over the frontal section of an attic). Originally the basilica had only one southern entrance that
is overlapped by the neatly hewn stonework arched porch of IX-X cc (western door was cut within
the scope of refurbishment activities undertaken by Bishop Alexander (Okropiridze) in XIX c.)
with XVIII c bell-tower arranged on its top apparently added in times of Patriarch Domenti.The
defensive wall and hermit sell remains are of the same period. Western door was arranged in XIX
c. In 90-ies of the last century the monastery, abandoned for long time was brought back to life.
65
66
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SAMTAVISI TAMPLE
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44
qarTli QARTLI
KVATAKHEVI
MONASTERY
81
82
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83
METEKHI
CHURCH
All elements of external decoration are typical as well large crosses between the framed windows, fretwork cones
etc., but the facing is so disturbed that reconstruction of the entire unified picture of external decoration is currently
impossible (for instance an arcade cant be seen ant more). Its even hard to say whether or not those elements are of
one and the same period, or they are simply performed by masters with different levels of craftsmanship. Alteration of
the dome barrel that is the most noticeable of all changes supposedly took place in XV c. It is absolutely incongruous
to the rest of the construction. There is one noteworthy rising, currently fixed on the western door tympanum, with the
scene of Dormition of the Virgin.
84
85
86
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87
88
ST. EUSTATHIUS
CHURCH
nother historical building that stands along the road to Rkoni is St. Eustathius
church in the village of Ertatsminda. This construction with better preserved
original features compared to the referred above Metekhi church has also suffered
many changes, that are most noticeable in case of its dome. These two churches are
synchronic and both have got the recorded cross configuration. The only difference is
that St. Eustathius church has got slightly elongated layout. Most likely, adornment of the
church in Ertatsminda was both quantitatively and qualitatively richer than that of Metekhi church. The whole system of decoration is based on the curves arranged along the
corners of the construction and on horizontal belts arranged between them. Lateral walls
of the church arms are decorated with the suit of small arches. Other elements of decoration system are grouped around the window and door framings. Festoons of eastern wall
niches are adorned with fretwork as well. Small risings on the sanctuary section of external
facing are integral parts of the decoration system and should also be mentioned in this
context. Some fragments of XVII c wall painting are preserved in the interior. The church
deposits one relic of historical significance head of Paata Saakadzede is buried there.
History narrates that Paatas father, Giorgi Saakadze by than the commander in chief of
Parisian Army was forced to live his son at the court of Persian Shah Abbas I as a hostage during the ride to Georgia ordered by the Shah. Goirgi Saakandze, Georgian himself
joined his compatriots and Persians were defeated. The Shah revenged him by beheading
his son and sending him this valuable present.
89
90
ikvis
wm. giorgis
eklesia
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91
f follow th epass thet runs in depth of Tedzami river gorge Ikvi St. George church will be
encountered standing on higher grounds,
on the right bank of Shabistskali river, tributary
of Tedzami. This small, beautiful and highly
sophisticated construction has got so called
semi-free cross configuration where the western arm is stretched and the rest of three arms
are unified in one space due to tri-partiality of
the sanctuary. The construction attracts ones
attention because of unnaturally tall dome barrel with its loftiness even more increased when
looking at its arch from the interior. Just this tallness makes the church bautiful and attractive.
Trumpet vault-like spaces are arranged on
western corners of the construction with small
niches beneath them, most likely designated for
92
the prayers standing outside. Church facades entirely faced with hewn slabs are richly decorated.
The whole system of adornment contains arcade
pattern, coupled with fretwork slabs fixed on the
dome barrel vaults, windows and door framings
and tympanums.
If take a look at tympanum risings itll become
doubtless, that craftsman at Ikvi was highly
skilled professional who despite the improvised
changes and alterations of the dcor keeps the
unity and cohesion of the whole composition
of well tempered, highly symmetrical decoration. Perfect wall paining of XII c is preserved
in the church interior, which, besides the canonic scenes comprises several episodes of
St. Georges life, grouped in Northern arm, thus
making them particularly interesting for scholars.
93
94
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monasteri
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Sida qarTliKAKHE SHIDA KARTLI
95
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96
RKONI
MONASTERY
f go back to Tedzami gorge and cross the river, one will see the
path that runs along its bank. Passing a point with the remains of
ancient Prayer Lime-tree the path leads to Rkoni Monastery- wellknown from the history of Georgia. A slightly shortened three-nave
basilica of Mother of God with two pairs of columns is the central
construction of the save heaven. It seems that this building has been
repeatedly reconstructed columns have different shape and laying, stones with risings are scattered at random, etc. Remains of
VII-VIII c. initial building adorned with niches and picked windows
cut between them (with traces of once reddish paint in niche shells)
currently constitute western faade of the construction - artistically the
most sophisticated and completed part of the church. Western porch
of XIII c with two rooms and large external opening supported by
wide arch is rather well-preserved. A chapel attached to the basilica
from the south is contemporaneous to the porch.The former has got
the layout common for the single-nave churches.
A single nave St. John the Baptist church stands southward of the
main construction. All these constructions are faced with hewn stone
slabs adorned with decorative arcades, crosses and fretwork.. Fragments of wall painting of different periods are preserved in the interior
of the main church and its southern attachment. Almost the whole of
the basilica interior and the diaconicon are adorned with XII c. wall
painting whereas the protheses wall painting is of XIII-XIV with some
sections performed at the fell of XVII c.
Three other stonework buildings an elongated and arched refectory
of the turn of XIII-XIV c., a three-storied residential tower and XVIIXVIII cc bell tower crowned with the brickwork structure located close
to the entrance coupled with the ruins of several other buildings are
situated on the territory of the monastery.
Rather mixed features of the basilica and disturbed and frequently interrupted adornment of other churches are the best
proofs of hard times occurring every now and then in the long lifespan of Rkoni Monastery. The most devastating of all
previous and following ordeals was the invasion of Tamerlan in 1400 when the whole community of Rkoni clericals where
massacred and the Monastery itself was destroyed to ashes...
A single arch bridge of XII-XIII cc is preserved in the monastery outskirts, coupled with XVII century residential tower
for monks with Simon the Stylite chapel arranged on its top floor with tiny traces of once perfect wall paining in the
interior. Rkoni castle of XIII-XIV cc dominates the surroundings. There are several buildings inside the defence wall of the
fortress including one single-nave stonework church built in XIII c with preserved wall painting.
Sida qarTliKAKHE SHIDA KARTLI
97
98
82
qarTli QARTLI
atenis sioni
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CATHEDRAL
107
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72
qarTli QARTLI
yincvisis
monasteri
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KINTSVISI MONASTERY
112
113
114
samwevrisis
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117
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119
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1940 . 1960-1990-
, , .
120
TSROMI
CATHEDRAL
121
QVEMO QARTLI
MONUMENTS OF GEORGIAS CULTURAL HERITAGE
124
bolnisis
sioni
, 70--
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127
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BOLNISI
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129
130
131
132
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133
134
LOWER
BOLNISI
CHURCH
135
136
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137
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138
SAMSHVILDE
139
140
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141
142
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143
144
DMANISI
145
KAKHETI
MONUMENTS OF GEORGIAS CULTURAL HERITAGE
148
daviTgareji
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kaxeTiKAKHE KAKHETI
149
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kaxeTi KAKHETI
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kaxeTiKAKHE KAKHETI
151
152
DAVID
GAREDJI
kaxeTiKAKHE KAKHETI
153
154
kaxeTi KAKHETI
It should be mentioned that since the very moment of its restoration in the final decade of XVII
century, Gareji Monastery had become and till
the last days of independent Georgian Kingdom
remained the most influential centre of Georgian
spiritual literature and education. All of the patriarchs of Kartli, many high rank clericals, theologians and canonists previously were members
of Gareji community. Despite uninterrupted
attempts of Georgian Kings towards reanimation
of David-Gareji, its full scale restoration has
never been achieved. Moreover, the Dodorka
monastery was repeatedly annulled in the II-nd
half of XVIII century
The rest of two monasteries kept their activities
through XIX century however with gradually
decaying significance both for the country and
the church. In 1919, in the chaos followed after
the revolution David-Gareji has been absolutely
abandoned until the early 1990-ies, when the
new community of hermits re-appeared in the
monastery.
kaxeTiKAKHE KAKHETI
155
156
gremi
16 - .
XVI
, ,
. 1616
, I-
.
.
.
. 1565
.
, ,
.
,
,
,
.
,
,
.
.
,
,
.
.
kaxeTiKAKHE KAKHETI
157
158
GREMI
kaxeTiKAKHE KAKHETI
159
160
kawareTis
sameba
-
VI .
, V-VI
.
, ,
;
(,
,
).
;
.
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(VIII-IX
,
;
; XVI-XVIII
,
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,
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,
.
( !).
kaxeTiKAKHE KAKHETI
161
.
1518 .
- ,
, .
162
kaxeTi KAKHETI
KATSARETI HOLLY
TRINITY CHURCH
atsareti Holly Treinity Church is one of the oldest cathedrals of Georgian Orthodox Church. Bishop of this area is first mentioned as early
as in the early years of VI c AD The temple itself is almost contemporaneous to the mentioned period the turn of V-VI cc. The construction
represents quite large three-nave basilica built of the mix of selected rubble
stone and cobblestone. Neatly hewn slabs are also used for construction of
some of its parts vaults, imposts, rising ornamentation on capitals of the
triumphal arches, very rare for Kakheti. The entire internal space is divided
into three by four pairs of columns and horseshoe shaped arches. The apse
layout and top curves of the windows are horseshoe shaped as well. To the
height of vaults the church interior is definitely original; only roofing structures
have been restored coupled with some other elements with negligible effects
on the entire building.
(In VIII-IX cc middle of the northern nave wasreshaped as a small domed
chapel, but after some time walls separating this section of the church from
the rest of its space were removed and original state was restored; partitions
were constructed in eastern endings of lateral naves thus separating rooms adjacent to the apse; in XVI-XVIII cc walls were built in between the nave separating
arches, several niches for the icons were arranged as well, etc).
Exterior of the church faced in XV-XVI cc with neatly hewn stone slabs is
decorated with a huge image of the cross on eastern faade. Western porch
that outlines western door of the church was constructed in the same period.
Apparently from the very beginning this has been the main point of access
into the church, however there is another door as well, the western one. The
sanctuary windows immediately attract attention due to their rather large
sizes in comparison to other openings of the building, creating impression of
compressed internal space of the church. Wall painting dated back to 1518
is preserved in the interior. Remains of several large residential buildings can
be seen south-eastwards of the temple, one of which belongs to once a twostoried palace with a huge fireplace. A two storied porch of later times is
located west of the temple.
kaxeTiKAKHE KAKHETI
163
164
ninowminda
,
2-3 -
,
, XVI
,
.
.
VI .
.
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XVI
.
kaxeTiKAKHE KAKHETI
165
,
,
.
.
XVI-XVII
.
-
166
kaxeTi KAKHETI
.
, ,
,
.
.
17741777 ,
1743-1745
1780-
.
; ,
XIX .
167
168
NINOTSMINDA
kaxeTiKAKHE KAKHETI
169
170
gurjaanis
yvelawminda
, 2 -
, ,
,
. VIII
.
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kaxeTiKAKHE KAKHETI
171
,
,
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GURJAANI
KVELATSMINDA
172
kaxeTi KAKHETI
173
174
sanagiris
eklesia
2-3
,
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,
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kaxeTiKAKHE KAKHETI
175
176
SANAGIRI
CHURCH
kaxeTiKAKHE KAKHETI
177
178
56
kaxeTi KAKHETI
vaCnaZianis
yvelawminda
7-8 - ,
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kaxeTiKAKHE KAKHETI
179
(, , ..),
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.
180
kaxeTi KAKHETI
VACHNADZIANI
KVELATSMINDA
kaxeTiKAKHE KAKHETI
181
182
akuras
`mama-daviTi~
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kaxeTiKAKHE KAKHETI
183
AKURA MAMADAVITI
184
kaxeTi KAKHETI
185
186
Zveli
SuamTa
,
.
,
.
: V
,
-
.
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.
kaxeTiKAKHE KAKHETI
187
188
OLD SHUAMTA
tire space of the building and its basic constructional segments. The corner rooms here have
simple quadrangular configuration in contrast to
that of Mtskheta monument, with cross-shaped
outlines.
The third church of the Old Shuamta Monastery
was also built in VII c. It is a small construction
crowned with the dome. Its design basically
duplicates essential segments of Mtskheta Holly
Cross Monastery architecture and of other alike
monuments apses are arranged at all four
sides of the central square, corner niches are
arranged as well, but corner rooms are missing
here, that in other similar monuments are regarded to be the root cause for the arrangement
of those niches. In this particular case they have
only one aim - division of the space. All three
churches are built of cobble stone and are free
of any decoration but very simple eyebrows
above the windows. Well-tempered sizes and
perfect proportions are the only merits of all
three monuments of the Monastery.
kaxeTiKAKHE KAKHETI
189
190
axali
SuamTa
,
2-3 - .
.
,
.
.
XVI 40-
. ,
,
,
.
, ,
.
. ,
,
.
,
.
.
.
,
,
.
.
kaxeTiKAKHE KAKHETI
191
192
NEW
SHUAMTA
kaxeTiKAKHE KAKHETI
193
194
iyalTos
monasteri
,
. ,
(
) . ,
- 13 , .
VI
.
.
.
,
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.
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kaxeTiKAKHE KAKHETI
195
( ).
XIX ,
, .
, , ,
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.
196
kaxeTi KAKHETI
IKALTO
MONASTERY
kaxeTiKAKHE KAKHETI
197
198
kveteras
cixe
,
, (
36 -).
, ,
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.
- .
,
.
. X
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.
- .
kaxeTiKAKHE KAKHETI
199
200
KVETERA
FORTRESS
kaxeTiKAKHE KAKHETI
201
202
alaverdis
taZari
, 18 -
.
. .
, XI I
, ,
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kaxeTiKAKHE KAKHETI
203
204
, -
. ,
. XIX
.
,
,
,
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,
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. ,
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, , II-
, .
1966
: XI XV-XVII ; 1980-
.
,
.
,
XVI
,
.
kaxeTiKAKHE KAKHETI
205
ALAVERDI CATHEDRAL
206
kaxeTi KAKHETI
207
208
nekresi
8 -
.
.
,
,
( ,
)
.
XVIII
.
VI ,
13
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,
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.
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V ;
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, ,
,
.
kaxeTiKAKHE KAKHETI
209
( )
,
.
,
.
VIVII
.
, ..
.
,
.
, , .
,
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,
;
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( ,
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210
, .
,
,
,
,
.
,
.
.
IX
.
(.,
),
,
.
,
,
. IX-X
,
(, XVII )
.
211
212
NEKRESI MONASTERY
kaxeTiKAKHE KAKHETI
213
SAMTSKHE-JAVAKHETI
MONUMENTS OF GEORGIAS CULTURAL HERITAGE
216
qvabisxevi
( .
). ,
(..
)
,
. ,
,
.
,
.
(XIII
,
).
IX
-.
217
218
KVABISKHEVI
219
220
xviliSas
eklesia
,
,
.
- .
.
,
,
, ..
.
,
,
,
VIII-IX
( IX ) -
.
.
1970-
.
221
KHVILISHA CHURCH
small temple known as Kvilishi church stands at the edge of the road, on the outskirts of Aspindza village.
It is a single nave construction with a small north-eastern attachment. The building is made of rough
basalt blocks, however upper sections of window frame, corners, several constructional elements in the
interior, pilasters and other parts are made of hewn slabs. Simply decorated window eyebrows, raised proportions, plasticity of the extended pilasters, peculiar blend of overall austerity of the construction with the desire
of its decoration makes the monument the perfect sample of VIII-IX cc (more likely of IX c) Javakheti school of
south Georgian architecture. The church had survived with missing vault and wall upper sections, rebuilt in 70ies of XX century.
222
223
224
wundis
taZari
,
.
,
,
.
.
, ,
(.. XII-XIII
). ,
,
., ,
XIII .
,
. ,
,
,
,
.
225
226
TSUNDA TEMPLE
227
228
samcxe-javaxeTi SAMTSKHE AVAKHETI
varZiis
kldeSi
nakveTi
monasteri
.
30
,
, ,
(., ),
,
. XII
. III-
,
,
-.
.
,
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,
(
).
,
,
1184-1186
- .
III-,
; .
,
.. . ,
(
).
XIII
, ,
samcxe-javaxeTi SAMTSKHE AVAKHETI
229
XV , .
, ( );
XIII .
, , 1552
. , XIX
.
.
230
VARDZIA
MONASTERY
centuries was devastated in 1552, when Persian Shah Tahmaz I invaded Georgia. The monastery has never been restored
since then, but in the second half of XIX c every now and then several monks lived there. Some traces of revival of the
monastery life are noticeable even nowadays.
231
232
zeda
varZia
, 4 ,
,
.
.
,
,
.
.
,
. ;
,
,
.
.
- ,
.
,
.
, XI
,
- .
XI
,
,
.
. ,
1970- .
233
234
235
236
kumurdos
saepiskoposo
taZari
,
12 -
, ,
.
,
964
,
,
.
,
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237
238
, ,
,
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.
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.
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,
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.
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.
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.
239
KUMURDO KATHEDRAL
240
241
242
sofeli
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,
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.
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,
. ,
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.
243
244
VALE
MOTHER
OF GOD
CHURCH
245
246
safaris
monasteri
, 1012 - ,
,
,
.
X ;
XIII
. .
X
,
(
, .
).
,
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.
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).
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247
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,
.
, ..
,
.
,
.
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.
:
. ,
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,
.
,
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. (-
,
VII
).
,
. XVI
XIX
.
,
,
.
1980-
.
248
249
250
SAPARA MONASTERY
251
252
zarzmis
monasteri
, ,
6-7 - ,
. , , VIII
. .
.
,
. X
,
.
.
,
.
XIII-XIV
.
.
,
, .
.
,
XVI
II-
.
-
,
. ,
. XX ,
253
,
.
,
. 1577
, I
.
.
,
1980-
.
ZARZMA MONASTERY
255
IMERETI
MONUMENTS OF GEORGIAS CULTURAL HERITAGE
258
ubisis
wm. giorgis
monasteri
.
, .
. IX
20- .
,
. .
,
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.
.
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259
. , (
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.
260
imereTi IMERETI
261
262
quTaisi
bagratis
taZari
,
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,
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,
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,
,
,
,
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,
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263
(- ),
. ;
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.
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, .
264
imereTi IMERETI
KUTAISI
BAGRATI CATHEDRAL
imereTi IMERETI
265
266
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monasteri
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267
. XII-XIII
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268
imereTi IMERETI
GELATI
MONASTERY
f take a look northward of Bagrati Cathedral the sight will be captured by white
outlines of sunk in green structures of
Gelati Monastery, located in a distance of
some 12 km from Kutaisi, on a flattened
area of a high hill. Gelati monastery, found
in 1106 by King David IV the Builder initially
was thought to be under the direct subordination of the King himself, not of the
Bishop. At the same time a higher education institution - the Gelati Academy was
founded there. In parallel to this, construction of the main church of the monastery
in honor of the Birth of Mother of God was
commenced, where the miracle-working
Khakhuli plique-a-jour icon of the Virgin
was rested as the main sacred object (the
icon itself was written in X c but after its
solemn arrival to Gelati the internal surface
of its doors were newly embossed and
adorned with lots of precious stones and
plique-a-jour). The temple crowned with a
dome has got the recorded cross configuration with two columns, the design quite
common for the temples of those times.
The narthex attached from the west is the
only deviation from that wide spread layout.
But on the other hand unnatural width of
imereTi IMERETI
269
270
even of later times. Most of them were performed in XVI-XVII cc. Gelati monastery was
one of the richest establishments of its kind with
lots of icons and crosses, manuscripts, different
things useable in liturgy and other services and
numerous memorabilia. Part of this collection
has been lost at earlier times, while its considerable portion was gone during the XIX c
so that currently only the remains of this once
huge monastic deposits are exhibited in Kutaisi
and Tbilisi museums.
There are several other interesting and important monuments in the surroundings of Gelati
monastery that are worth to be mentioned.
Some of them are contemporaneous to it (for
instance, so called Sokhasteri, now turned in
ruins), while some are of later times (St. Sabah
single-nave church now in very bad repair, or
St. Elijah the Prophet church with XVI c wall
painting performed in typical folk stile).
Gelati monastery closed after the establishment of the Soviet regime was restored in early
1990-ies and since then services are being
provided uninterruptedly. Several monks have
appeared here as well.
271
272
wm. giorgisa da
wm. nikolozis
eklesiebi
XIII
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imereTi IMERETI
273
274
imereTi IMERETI
ST. GEORGE
AND
ST. NICOLAS
CHURCHES
imereTi IMERETI
275
276
savanis
wm. giorgis
eklesia
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XI .
imereTi IMERETI
277
278
imereTi IMERETI
SAVANE
ST. GEORGE
CHURCH
imereTi IMERETI
279
280
kacxis
gumbaTiani
taZari
.
,
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X
10101014 .
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XIV-XV
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imereTi IMERETI
281
282
KATSKHI CHURCH
atski domed church is located in the namesake village. Currently the church stands in the
middle of the cemetery encircled with the stone wall. The late medieval porch incorporated
into the wall is the only access point to the mon ument. . The church has got six apses and
several ambulatories of relatively later times arranged around its perimeter. The practice of building
of the temples with six apses was common only in X century and this particular construction is one of
the latest of the suite. According to the construction inscription the church was build between 10101014 the latest. The same inscription curved on the stone slab states that the representative of the
ancient noble house of Bagvashi, the almighty feudal Rati Eristavt-Eristavi funded construction activities. Apparently, the original exterior of the church was richly adorned, but in XIX c its upper sections
were substituted and only outlines of the initial ornamentation were replicated (arcade and huge
crosses). Perfect adornment of entrances, image of The Holly Cross Elevation on the internal side
of the ambulatory, several sculptures and fretwork decoration of the referred ambulatory are clear
indicators of original beauty of the church. Despite reconstruction carried out in later times internal
space of the building has been mostly spared it is still perfectly illuminated and as if whirls around
the centre of the elevated dome. Some remains of XIV-XV cc wall painting are still noticeable in the
extreme southwestern part of the building.
imereTi IMERETI
283
284
mRvimevis
dedaTAa
monasteri
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XIII
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( XIX
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XIX
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imereTi IMERETI
285
.
XI
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( XVI
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XI
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286
). , XI
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MGVIMEVI NUNNERY
omewhere on the halfeay to the summit of the limestone high rock that is
erected on the right bank of Kvirila
River, in Western outskirts of the city of Chiatura several white buildings hang over the cliff.
These are parts of XIII c Gvimevi Monastery
where the nunnery has been arranged recently.
A pathway leads to the monastery. The porch
is the first manmade construction that will be
encountered on the way to the core buildings of
this save heaven. The dwelling quarters built
in XIX c coupled with the remains of the first
two stories of an old bell tower made of neatly
hewn stones are located in the yard. Another
XIX c building a bell-lower built of white
stone cubs is also located there. There is an
arched opening through the ground floor of
the latter leading to a narrow pathway towards
two churches the main constructions of the
monastery. Perfect compatibility of the buildings
with local landscape surprises the visitor. Both
churches have got arched main halls with half
of their spaces running in natural caves, so that
northern walls are completely arranged within
those cavities. Churches are of XIII c. The main
church dedicated to the Virgin is a two-nave
construction (a single column divides the main,
southern nave from the northern, secondary,
narrower one. Both naves are completed by
the extended apses with faceted exteriors.
Churches with two nave configuration have
been common in Georgia since VI c AD. Mgvimevi church is one of the latest samples of that
type of architecture. Another smaller chapel
of St Katherine stands westwards of the main
church. It is a single-nave construction with no
apse. Both churches are built of neatly hewn
stones. They are richly adorned with decorated
arches, multi-shape facing stones around doors
and windows, crosses, fretwork cornices. Most
likely the architect had some kind of manual or
guidance at list he was following the layout
imereTi IMERETI
287
RACHA
MONUMENTS OF GEORGIAS CULTURAL HERITAGE
290
nikorwminda
010-1014
.
XIX
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raWa RA HA
291
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1991 1990- . ,
.
292
raWa RA HA
293
294
NIKORTSMINDA
295
296
zemo krixi
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(1960-70-
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raWAa RA HA
297
ZEMO KRIKHI
raWa RA HA
299
300
barakoni
. 1753
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raWAa RA HA
301
302
BARAKONI
arakoni Mother of God domed church located in the village of Tsesi is one of the
most significant monuments in Racha. The church construction initiated and supported by Rostom Eristavi of Racha, one of the most famous military and political
figure of his time, was carried out in 1753 by the architect apparently invited from east
Georgia someone David Shulavreli. According to his name he should have come from
Shulaveri the still existing village in Kvemo (Lower) Kartli. It is doubtless that either the
architect himself or quite possibly the initiator and donor of the construction were definitely
guided by the samples of ancient Georgian architecture traditional design (so called
recorded cross with two separately erected columns) of the church together with its fretwork decoration performed in old stile, crosses etc. clearly indicate the disposition towards
the imitation of classic monuments. However, despite all efforts and diligence applied, no
artistic influence common for old originals has been achieved in this particular case the
niches arranged within the eastern faade are so narrow that they are deprived of any
constructional or artistic-compositional sense. Despite the aforementioned, high level of
craftsmanship of all masons and fretwork specialists is more then surprising allowing on
all tragic events that were common in that terrible period of Georgian history. The feeling
of surprise becomes even stronger when looking at high, painted iconostasis contemporaneous to the church.
raWAa RA HA
303
SAMEGRELO
MONUMENTS OF GEORGIAS CULTURAL HERITAGE
306
martvili
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308
MARTVILI
309
310
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312
313
KHOBI
314
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317
318
TSALENJIKHA
319
: , VIII .
On the c
er
ur
ni K e ts in
ISB
:
E it r E
dizaini / DESI
u
:S
sh i i
THESIS
. VIII c. S uthern