Cross-domed temples of Georgia. Temple of Bethany.
There is an interesting feature around the Bethany Temple: until the nineteenth century it was considered lost. The frames of the windows of the church are decorated with beautiful ornaments, the outer side is lined. The church presents examples of frescoes of the twelfth century and the thirteenth century
Cross-domed church Bethany located in the region Kvemo Kartli, 15 km away. southwest of Tbilisi, in the valley of the river Vere. Bethany was considered lost, but in the XIX century. it was rediscovered. To the west of the main temple there is a small hall-type church of St. George, which was built in 1196 by the aunt of Queen Tamara - Rusudan.
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The church, abandoned for many years, was visited by the Russian artist Grigory Gagarin in the mid-60s of the XIX century, cleaned it and discovered a fresco depicting representatives of the Bagrationi royal family (George III, Tamara, George IV). In 1894-1896, monks again settled in the monastery. The exterior of the church is lined. The eastern side of the facade and window frames are decorated with ornaments.
The best examples of Georgian fresco painting of the XII-XIII centuries are presented in Bethany. The figure of Christ Pantocrat is depicted in the vaulted ceiling of the altar, and the prophets are depicted on the walls of the apse. On the north wall there are scenes from the "Doomsday" (currently only fragments have been preserved). The best examples of secular painting are the portrait of the royal family with the image of George III, Queen Tamara, Gergius IV. This image was made in 1206, during the proclamation of George-Lasha as co-ruler. The famous Georgian poet and public figure Grigory Orbeliani dedicated the poem "The Face of Queen Tamara in the Church of Bethany" to this fresco.
On the south side of the temple, in the robe of a monk and with a model of the temple in his hand, the ktitor Sumbat Orbeli is depicted. In 2000, the Bethany Monastery underwent restoration. Additional hermitages were built.
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