The Monastery of the Holy Virgin Mary in Georgia, the New Shuamta Temple, the church in Kakheti, the treasury of monks

History

Sights of Georgia they have a rich history, an excellent example is the monastery complex in Shuamta.

The name of the church of the Virgin Mary – New Shuamta came from the place where it was located. The temple stands in a flat valley surrounded by mountains.

After the funeral of Tinatin, the temple was not forgotten. At the end of the 16th century, it was supplemented with the Archangel Chapel, the construction was carried out by the daughter of the deceased queen – Thekla, who also became a nun. The monarchs paid great attention to the monastery and donated considerable sums for the construction. For example, King Teimuraz in 1637 donated most of the tribute to preserve and maintain the monastery. More than a century later, in the 17th century, King Heraclius II took up the reconstruction of the temple.

In the 19th century, the whole monastic life in Georgia fell into decline, Alaverdi-Kirion was engaged in its restoration, later he became known as the Patriarch of All Georgia. In 1899, he restored the walls of the temple and the liturgical life in the church, however, his works were crossed out, because soon, under Soviet rule, the monastery ceased to perform its original function until 1990, an orphanage was located in its place.

The monastery is important not only because of its architecture and rich history, but also as an ancient book depository and a kind of treasury. Precious things that have been donated by more than one generation of monarchs are stored here, there is definitely something to see in Georgia.

In addition to the royal sarcophagi, in the main cathedral of the monastery there are tombs of the Makashvili, Chavchavadze and Andronikashvili families, who made a huge contribution to the development of Georgia.