Church of the Virgin Mary in Manavi: History & Architecture
The Church of the Virgin Mary resembles what we've come to imagine as Georgia's most beautiful places – Georgian cathedrals. Moreover, it is one of the last examples of old Georgian domed churches and belongs to the "kupelkhale" style.
Location: Kakheti Region, Sagarejo Municipality, 15 km east of the village of Manavi, on a mountainside. This church is also remarkable because, despite its age, history has preserved many facts about it.
For example, it is known for certain that it was founded by Archimandrite Eftime, abbot of the David Gareji Monastery (a cave monastery complex located in three regions of Georgia), in 1794. He was very active here from 1774 to 1798.
Of course, after such a long period of existence, the building's condition required renovation, which took place in 2008. It's worth noting that for a church located far from large cities, it is neither large nor small. Area: 10.85 x 6.8 m. The building has an elongated shape, with a wide apse in the eastern part, a projection of the building, lower in height than the main part, which can be semicircular, rectangular, or any other shape.
The apse is connected to the main part of the building by a semi-dome (concha). The altar is most often located here. If you look up at the dome, you'll see that the walls are constructed to form a square beneath the dome. These walls are connected by arches.
These interior details place the church in the little-known "kupelhale" style. Like most churches, it has two entrances: southern and western. Both are arched.
If you look at the exterior architectural details, it becomes clear that the western entrance was considered the main entrance. It is decorated with an imitation of a high arch with a cross in the center. Also noteworthy is the small number of windows, which are quite narrow.
Therefore, most of the light falls on the dome windows, creating a mysterious, semi-dark atmosphere. If you're wondering what to see in Georgia, this is one of the places worth visiting.
Photo source: georgiantravelguide.com
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Die Restauration von 2008 hat die Kirche ja richtig belebt! Voll die Inspiration für meinen nächsten Trip, aber ich frage mich: Gibt es spezielle Veranstaltungen oder Feste, die dort stattfinden, wo man einen echten Eindruck von der Kultur bekommt?
Будто небольшой, спрятанный вдали от людей и чужих глаз, замок.
Мне бы очень хотелось посетить это чудесное, святое место.