754 Items
Shiomghvime
Shiomghvime means 'the caves of Shio'. Shio was one of the Thirteen (As)Syrian Fathers and he is reputed to have settled in caves to the west of Mtskheta and it is here that the monastery complex need for him is located. The buildings are of many different periods, meaning that claims that one of the churches dates back to the C6th is difficult to verify.
Type: Architecture
Tags: (As)Syrian Fathers, Architecture, C6th, Caves, Church, Georgia, Mtskheta, Shida Kartli, Shiomghvime, Thirteen (As)Syrian Fathers
Idleti
The small, centrally-planned church of St. John the Baptist in Idleti dates from C5th-C6th and is an unusual building suggesting the architects were experimenting with different forms as the dome, which is hemispherical on the interior, is in a square drum that rests on the crossing of the central space. This centrality has now been lost by the addition of a disproportionately large single storied narthex to the west.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, C5th-C6th, Centrally-Planned, Church, Georgia, Idleti, Shida Kartli, St. John the Baptist
Urbnisi
The church at Urbnisi is an extremely large C6th basilica. Urbnisi had one of the earliest Christian communities in Georgia which could have been linked to the fact that the town also had a significant Jewish population in antiquity.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, C6th, Church, Georgia, Jew, St. Nino, Urbnisi
Ateni Sioni
Ateni Sioni is regarded as the most beautiful church of the "Jvari' type. It is C7th and located in a place of outstanding natural beauty on a rock outcrop above a river in a narrow valley. Its beauty is enhanced by the many reliefs carved into the exterior of the church walls.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, Ateni Sioni, Church, Figure, Georgia, Sculpture, Shida Kartli, Zion
Samtsevrisi
Samtsevrisi is a C7th church of the 'Jvari' type. It is a small, centrally-planned chapel that now stands isolated in a small graveyard.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, C7th, Centrally-Planned, Church, Georgia, Jvari, Samtsevrisi, Shida Kartli
Tsromi
The church at Tsromi has an inscription dating its construction to 626-634 and it is a domed basilica of a type similar to that found in Armenia at Mren and in several other locations.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, Armenia, C7th, Church, Domed Basilica, Georgia, Mren, Shida Kartli, Tsromi
Tsvirmi village, Ipari community, Svaneti
The Church of the Holy Archangels in Tsvirmi village in Ipari community in Svaneti is C9th. It obviously had an additional aisle to the south side originally that may well have terminated in an apse, but this has now been destroyed leaving a square U-shaped anthrax around the west end of the church that is clearly used for village feasts. It is equipped with benches, tables and other equipment necessary for festal meals. To the south of the church is a ruined structure that shows evidence of fallen arches amongst the masonry and which the local people claim to have plundered for the arches in narthex of the church. The villagers believe the ruins to be those of an even earlier church.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, C9th, Church, Georgia, Holy Archangels, Ipari, Tsvirmi, Zemo Svaneti
Nakipari village, Ipari community, Svaneti
The Church of St. George in the village of Nakipari in the Ipari community in Svaneti is C10th and is known for its animal sculptures on the eastern façade of the building as well as for the interior frescoes painted by Tevdoré.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Animal, Architecture, C10th, Church, Fresco, Georgia, Ipari, Nakipari, Sculpture, St. George, Tevdoré, Zemo Svaneti
Zhibiani village, Ushguli community, Svaneti
The monastery of Lamaria (Dormition of the Virgin) lies to the north of Zhibiani village in Ushguli community in Svaneti. Ushguli is the highest inhabited collection of villages in Europe and lies more than 2,200 metres above sea level. The monastery is being restored and a new community of monks has settled there post-communism. The church has not been damaged by too much intervention and, as with many other Svan churches, has an additional apses aisle to the south. This connects to the main chapel only by the narthex and has a cauldron in front of the altar for ritual animal sacrifice. In the main chapel there are interesting stone niches built into the iconostasis that do not correspond exactly to ambons and are of unclear liturgical function. The church is C10th.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, C10th, Church, Dormition of the Virgin, Georgia, Lamaria, Monastery, Ushguli, Zemo Svaneti, Zhibiani
Iprari village, Kala community, Svaneti
The Church of the Holy Archangels in Iprari village in the Kala community in Svaneti has a fresco cycle painted by the artist Tevdoré at the end of the C11th. It includes a Deesis in the apse.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, C11th, Church, Deesis, Fresco, Georgia, Holy Archangels, Iprari, Kala, Tevdoré, Zemo Svaneti