Kvelatsminda in Gurjaani: Georgia’s Only Two-Domed Church

The Gurdjaani Church of the Most Holy Theotokos (Kvelatsminda) is a unique monument of ecclesiastical architecture, housing the only two-domed basilica in Georgia, built in the 8th-9th centuries.

The church is located in Katekhia, specifically in the town of Gurdjaani – a recognized center of Georgian winemaking and undoubtedly home to some of the most beautiful places in Georgia.

History

This architectural monument of the Georgian Orthodox Church, located near the village of Vachnadziani, is approximately eight kilometers away.

In the 6th-7th centuries, the monastery comprised a three-nave basilica. Unfortunately, one section was damaged by a landslide, but some fragments of the structure can still be found. At the end of the 8th century, the domed Church of All Saints was built of stone and brick and is an example of transitional Georgian medieval architecture.

The Legend of the Gurdjaani Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos

Georgia's landmarks boast rich histories and unusual, and sometimes astonishing, legends. The Gurdjaani (Kvelatsminda) Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos is no exception.

There is a legend about the miraculous icon of the Iveron Mother of God, which is still venerated and kept in the church.

The central part of the icon is occupied by a painted image of the Mother of God with the Child, framed in a gilded frame. This is the source of the legend. One day in the autumn of 1615, during Shah Abbas's raids in Katekh against the Kartli and Kakheti kingdoms,... The abbot of the monastery, Father John, gathered the entire monastic brotherhood and decided not to leave the monastery. He hid all the relics, temple relics, icons, and church items in a secret room located below the church to prevent the monastery from being looted and destroyed.

That same night, an image of the Most Holy Theotokos appeared to Father John in a dream and told him to seal the icon in a column in the monastery of martyrs, located in the Church of St. George, which was located approximately 1-2 km from the Monastery of All Saints. The next morning, Father John told the monks of the Mother of God's will and hid the icon in the column.

However, this did not save the villages and monasteries from the attacks of Shah Abbas. After his invasion, many settlements were plundered, monasteries were destroyed, including the Church of All Saints and Martyrs, and the monks were killed. All religious services ceased. Only 200 years later, a small brotherhood of monks from the Kakhta Uban monastery, together with Abbot Gabriel, began to restore theological life in the deserted church.

Later, they learned of the lost icon of the Mother of God and began searching for it, but their search was unsuccessful. Then, unexpectedly, a miracle occurred: the Almighty appeared to Abbot Gabriel in a dream and revealed the location of the icon's hiding place.

The next day, Abbot Gabriel, along with Father Iostosti, the abbot of the Ascension Monastery Vezhin, Priest Gurjaani, and a multitude of pilgrims, set out to search for the lost relic. After opening a wall and a column, they discovered the very icon of the Mother of God that had been brought to the Kakhta Uban monasteries. Unfortunately, in 1845 the monastery was again devastated, the monks left the Stepantsminda monastery, and the icon was transferred to the Church of St. George in Gurjaana.

Architecture

The church's architectural plan is complex, encompassing both single- and two-story sections composed of various materials. The exterior walls, the apsis (a semicircular extension), the side walls, and the chamber are composed of cut cobblestones. The interior walls, vault, and domes are constructed of bricks of various shapes, ranging from simple squares to more intricate designs. The domes are covered with gutter-shaped tiles.

The church itself is nestled amidst a broadleaf forest, which surrounds it and creates an atmosphere of tranquility, peace, and oneness with nature.

Inside the church is an iconostasis, softly illuminated by burning candles. The church building is divided into three sections, the central, elevated section of which can be divided into three quadrants, each containing a dome supported by a trompe-l'oeil (a stabilizing structure in the form of a stepped niche).

The dome itself is covered with a gable roof made of tiles that extends into the apse. The western dome is located slightly higher and is wider in shape than the eastern one.

The church's interior is an arched structure formed by stepped tiers of arches. The altar apse occupies a raised position but does not stand out from the overall church ensemble. The deacon's office and entrance gate are located to the south.

The church can be entered from the south and west sides. A rectangular narthex, also located to the west, communicates with the main church building through a narrow wooden door. It also leads to the second floor, which overlooks the terrace.

The main façade is the eastern one, decorated with arches and a cross, immediately attracting passersby, as if welcoming them. Along the arch is a carved window belonging to the deacon's office.

The southern façade is faced with rounded cobblestones. The entrance to the first floor is a wide carved door, above which is a yellow cross framed by an arch. The northern façade is similar to the southern one, but there is no entrance to the temple. However, from inside, you can admire the landscape through the carved windows.

What to see in Georgia? If you appreciate authentic medieval church architecture and beautiful scenery, then the answer is clear: you definitely need to visit the Church of the Most Pure Mother of God (Kvelatsminda) of Gurdjaani.

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