Medieval Georgian Churches & Monasteries

Introduction

Christianity spread to Georgia in the early 4th century as a result of the missionary activities of Saint Nino. At that time, the Caucasian state was known as Iberia, or Kartli, and ruled by King Mirian III (r. 284-361). Nino performed a number of miracles, which brought about the conversion of the king and his wife Nana. As a consequence, in around 337, Mirian declared Christianity as the state religion of his kingdom. This makes Georgia the third oldest Christian nation in the world, only slightly younger than Armenia, which embraced the religion officially in 301, and Ethiopia, which converted in 330. Saint Nino became the most important saint in the Georgian Orthodox Church. Her attribute, the grapevine cross – a cross with slightly drooping horizontal arms –, is one of the most recognisable symbols of Georgian Christianity.

In terms of architecture, Georgian churches can be discussed in the wider context of the art history of the Christian East. Most visible parallels can be drawn with Byzantine and Armenian ecclesiastical architecture. Types of churches specific to Georgia are the three-church basilica, which was typical in the earlier centuries, the tetraconch church with four niches, which found its most perfect form at the beginning of the 7th century, and a special variation of the cross-in-square church, which became the standard in the first half of the 11th century and, more or less, remained such until today.

Sites

With the below portfolios I aim to illustrate the development of Georgian church architecture throughout the Middle Ages (from the 5th to the 18th century).

Most of the churches and monasteries that I will introduce can be found in the regions of Kartli, Kakheti and Imereti. In a separate portfolio I will introduce the unique churches in the isolated highland region of Upper Svaneti.

The portfolios do not include medieval structures outside the territory of modern Georgia, such as the churches in the historical region of Tao-Klarjeti (now in Turkey), the Monastery of the Cross in Jerusalem, the Iviron Monastery on Mount Athos, and the Petritsoni (Backhovo) Monastery in Bulgaria.

Main Sites

Bolnisi Cathedral | 478-498
Urbnisi Cathedral | 5th or 6th century
Anchiskhati Basilica | 520s-530s
Jvari Monastery (Monastery of the Holy Cross) | 586-607
Ateni Sioni Church | original church – 5th century; current church – 680s; renovation – 982-986; wall paintings – late 11th century
Bodbe Monastery | c. 850
Kvetera Church | early 10th century
Nekresi Monastery | 6th to 16th century
Shio-Mgvime Monastery | Church of Saint John the Forerunner – 560s-580s; Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God – 1103-1123
Manglisi Cathedral | original church – 330s; domed tetraconch – 5th, 6th or 7th century; expanded church – c. 1020; restoration – 1850s
Ikalto Monastery | Church of the Holy Trinity – late 6th & 8th centuries; Church of the Transfiguration of the Saviour – late 8th or early 9th century; Ikalto Academy – 9th & 12th centuries; Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God – late 12th or early 13th century
Bagrati Cathedral | 1001-1008; porches – 1030s; reconstruction – 2009-2012
Nikortsminda Cathedral | 1010-1014; porches & south chapel – mid-11th century; frescoes – 16th & 17th centuries
Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (Cathedral of the Life-Giving Pillar) | first church – 330s; second church – late 5th century; third church – Arsukidze, 1010-1029
Alaverdi Monastery | 1010s, 1020s or 1030s
Samtavisi Cathedral | Hilarion Samtavneli, 1030
Samtavro Monastery | 1030s-1040s
Gelati Monastery | Gelati Academy – 1106-1110; Cathedral of the Nativity of the Holy Virgin – 1106-1130 (decoration & chapels from different periods); Church of Saint George – mid-13th century; Church of Saint Nicholas – late 13th century
Church of Saint Andrew of Tbilisi (Blue Monastery) | 1155 or 1180s
Tsughrughasheni Church | 1212-1222
Metekhi Church | 1278-1289
Gergeti Holy Trinity Church | 1330s
Gremi Citadel | Church of the Archangels – 1565-1577
Ananuri Castle | Church of the Saviour – late 16th or early 17th century; Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God – 1689

Churches of Upper Svaneti

Lamaria Church of Ushguli | 9th or 10th century; frescoes – 10th & 12th to 13th centuries
Church of Saint George of Ushguli | 11th or 12th century
Church of the Saviour of Matskhvarishi | 10th or 11th century; frescoes – 1140
Church of the Holy Archangels of Matskhvarishi | 11th to 14th century; frescoes – c. 16th century
Church of the Prophet Jonah of Ienashi | 12th to 14th century
Pusdi Church of Mestia (?) | 13th century (?)
Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Saviour of Laghami | ground floor – 9th century; first floor – 13th or 14th century