The church of St. George in Gurjaani, Kakheti, built 14 centuries ago, is one of Georgia's oldest landmarks.

The little house that looks like the church of St. George in Vedzini is 1,500 years old. The Georgian landmark has been restored, the ceiling restored, and the foundations strengthened. Once here, you can touch the real antiquity

22 Nov, 2023

Sights of Georgia

Alla Smirnova

For lovers of small, secluded places, we found something to see in Georgia: St. George's Church is hidden among the Georgian mountains. Even from a bird's-eye view, it's hard to see. It looks like someone's lonely house. But it is not.

The church is 14 centuries old, so there is a lot of history behind this inconspicuous "house". And the location of St. George's Church is so far away that one wonders just how far people had to travel to pray here. And for sure they came here not just 1-2 people but the whole families.

Location: Kakheti region, Gurjaani municipality, Vejini village.

Attractions of Georgia are scattered everywhere in this region, as well as places with delicious wines. The church was built in the 7th century, but since then it has been badly damaged and required a thorough reconstruction. It was renovated in 2018, and the building has been in good condition ever since.

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In this church, all the details are worth examining. For example, above the northern entrance there is a niche, where in the old days there was an image of a cross or a sacred inscription. In spite of its size, the division into zones was respected inside. For example, in the eastern part there was a small semi-circular cell where icons were always standing, candles were lit and donations were left.

The details that were restored during the renovation can now also be seen more closely. In addition to reinforced foundations, the architects worked on the stone cornices. The ceiling and the conch of the dome, which is located above the semicircular rooms, such as niches, cells, etc., were completely rebuilt.

Workers had to almost completely rework the roof and floor, which is made of Georgian bricks. All details, even the smallest, were reinforced. Therefore, after 14 centuries, the church is in excellent condition - the task of reconstruction was to restore, with all the historical architectural nuances.

This place could well be put on the list of "the most beautiful places in Georgia," at least for the great history in every brick, in every tree, which still remembers the first parishioners.