St. George's Church in Ilori: how to get there, history, restoration tragedy and legends - read before your trip!

⚡ What is hidden in the most guarded temple of Abkhazia?

Where else can you see how wars were stopped for the sake of a temple, and how laymen and princes together brought sacrifices to Saint George? A thousand years of history, exile, return,vandalism, legends and phantom faith - all this is not just a temple, but the heart of Ilorus.

🎯 Do you think you've seen everything in Abkhazia? Then you haven't been here.

📖 What you will learn from this article - and what you will definitely miss if you pass by

🔸 Do you want to see a shrine that has been revered for centuries not only by Georgians, but also by Afghans?

🔸 Are you interested in how to get to the Ilori Temple, when to go and what you should definitely consider?

⚠️ Important warning for tourists from Russia

Be careful when visiting Abkhazia: when crossing the border, your passport may be stamped with a visit to Abkhazia, which may create difficulties when entering Georgia, as it does not recognize Abkhazia and considers it an occupied territory. It is recommended to cross the border through checkpoints controlled by Georgia to avoid stamps in your passport, and to familiarize yourself with the laws of both countries before traveling to avoid possible legal problems.

🧭 How to get there? All routes and tips

The Madloba.info team has collected for you all possible ways to get to the Church of St. George the Victorious in Ilori - legal, convenient and actually working in practice.

✅ Option 1: 🚗 By car (the most convenient)

Below are the routes from key cities:

✅ Option 2: 🚌 Public transport (minibus/bus within Abkhazia)

• Route: Sukhum → Ochamchira
• From there - on foot or by taxi to Ilor
• Cost: from 100 to 150 ₽ per trip
• ❗ Buses do not go to Ilor itself - the nearest point is Ochamchira

📌 Check the schedule on site: it changes frequently and is not always available online.

✅ Option 3: 🚕 Taxi in Abkhazia

• From: Sukhum, Ochamchira, Gagra, Pitsunda, etc.
• Cost:
  • Sukhum → Ilor: ≈1000–1500 ₽
  • Ochamchira → Ilor: ≈300–500 ₽
• Pros: fast, convenient, you can negotiate about waiting
• Cons: not all drivers speak Russian or are honest with prices - bargain
  

✅ Option 1: 🚶 On foot through the Inguri checkpoint (the safest on the Georgian side)

• From: Zugdidi (Georgia)
• To: Gal, then Ochamchira → Ilor
• What you need:
  • 📄 Special permission from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia: issued online 5-7 days before the trip (Official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia)
  • 🛄 Passport
• How to get there: on foot or by taxi to Ochamchira (≈30 km), then to Ilor (another ≈5 km)
  

🔎 Ideal for travelers who have time and patience for bureaucracy

✅ Option 4: 🧭 Guided tours/individual excursion with a guide

• Routes: organized trips to holy places of Abkhazia
• Available: from Sukhum, Gagra, New Athos, even from Sochi and Adler
• Cost: from 1500 ₽ to 3000 ₽ / person
• Includes transportation, support, story about the temple, often a meal

👍 A great option if you don't want to bother with logistics

✅ Option 5: 🧳 Rides and BlaBlaCar

• Through platforms (usually in Telegram groups or local communities)
• You can get to Ochamchira, then walk or take a local taxi
• Cost: from 200–500 ₽
• ⚠️ Be careful — no guarantees
  

🛑 It is forbidden:

• ❌ By bus directly from Tbilisi or Batumi - no connection
• ❌ By train to Abkhazia from Georgia - no service
• ❌ By car - it is prohibited to cross the border by car from Georgia

🚫 Why can't you go by car from Tbilisi or Batumi?

1. There is no direct entry through the territory of Georgia:
   Abkhazia is considered an occupied territory from the point of view of Georgian legislation.
   ✅ Entry into Abkhazia via the Inguri Bridge (from Zugdidi) is only possible on foot and only with permission from the Abkhaz side.
   🚗 By car – impossible: you will have to leave your car in Zugdidi.
2. Crossing the border through Russia is a violation of Georgian law:
   If you enter Abkhazia from Russia (through the Psou checkpoint), then according to Georgian law this is considered an illegal border crossing.

⛔ This may result in:

• A fine of up to 2,000 GEL
• Refusal to enter Georgia in the future
• Court proceedings

🧾 Things to remember:

• 🚫 Driving from Georgia to Abkhazia by car is prohibited
• ✅ Walking across the Inguri is the only legal option
• 📄 You need to obtain permission: website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia

🚨 What to do in an emergency?

If you find yourself in a difficult or emergency situation during your trip to Abkhazia, don’t panic.

📌 The Madloba team has prepared a clear checklist for you:
where to call, where to go and how to act if:

• 🆘 lost documents,
• 🚑 needed medical help,
• 🚓 encountered difficulties at the border,
• 📵 connection was disconnected,
• or simply need support and instructions.
  

👉 Travel with peace of mind - we are there for you, even when it seems like there is no one around.

📖 History and secrets of the Ilori temple

The Church of St. George in the village of Ilor is not just an ancient sanctuary, but a place of power, surrounded by legends, dramas and miracles. Built in the first quarter of the 11th century, it became one of the oldest spiritual centers of Abkhazia and Georgia.

📜 The most striking thing is the inscriptions on its walls, written in three forms of ancient Georgian script: asomtavruli, nuskhuri and mkhedruli. These inscriptions are not only a historical document, but also a real treasure of Georgian writing.

🛡 Historical upheavals

The temple has survived many trials:

• In the 17th century, it was restored by the Megrelian prince Levan II Dadiani;
• In 1730, the temple was burned by the Turks;
• In the 19th century, it was restored again by the rulers of the Odishi principality;
• During the Soviet years, it was used to store relics from other closed churches.

🏛 Architecture and decoration

The temple belongs to the type of single-ship halls with an apse. It is built of large sandstone slabs, and its modest size is compensated by expressive architectural details:

• ⛪ Apse in the east, two entrances - from the south and west (the southern one is now closed)
• 🪟 Narrow arched windows with carved frames
• 🖼️ Remains of wall paintings inside
• 🕊 Bas-relief of St. George on the facade
  

⛔ Vandalized "restorations" and relics that have sunk into oblivion

⛪ What happened to the Ilori Temple, a cultural symbol that could have become a pearl of pilgrimage?

After 2005, irreversible events happened to the temple. Under the guise of "restoration", the structure suffered a real catastrophe:

• 🎨 The facades were repainted white, destroying the centuries-old stone;
• 🏛 A false dome "like a Russian onion" was installed, which completely distorted the authentic appearance of the architecture;
• 🧱 Unique Georgian epigraphic inscriptions dating back to the 11th century were erased. This was a real chronicle on the walls - now it is lost forever.
• 🪟 Air conditioners, banners and even rain protection were installed, distorting the view

💔 It was with this reconstruction that the temple ceased to be a cultural heritage - neither for the Abkhazians nor for the Georgians. This was openly discussed both in Sukhum itself and in international circles. In essence, it was an attempt to erase the past and erase the very memory of the true origin of the shrine.

🕯 What disappeared?

• 📿 Precious relics, including an ancient Ilorian bas-relief, ritual gifts, rare items of church decoration;
• 🔍 Several rare frescoes that could not be preserved after the renovation;
• 📜 And most importantly - history, carved in stone, hidden under paint, disappeared from view.
  

🕳 Secrets Shrouded in Darkness Locals say that after the installation of the "new dome" the temple seemed to change... The silence disappeared, the feeling of holiness disappeared. The monks who lived nearby began to leave the place, explaining this by "the energy that had become different." Pilgrims still talk about strange sensations, anxiety-inducing dreams, and - on the contrary - rare cases of true insight.

🎤 As one of the eyewitnesses wrote:
"I came to Ilor for peace. But in recent years I feel like the temple is asking for help. It's like it's not my own anymore. And if you listen, it's silent."

📣 All this caused a strong reaction in Georgian society and international structures. In 2011, the temple was visited by representatives of ICOMOS, who recorded the fact of distortion of the cultural appearance of the monument.

🙏 The Cult of Ilori George

Ilor is not just a temple, but a spiritual center of the region. Local residents pass on legends about miracles that happen here from generation to generation.

• ✝️ It is believed that the temple kept two silver icons donated by Prince Levan II;
• ⚔️ The temple had a special ritual of sacrificing a bull, during which even warring principalities temporarily stopped wars - so significant was the Ilori Church considered;
• 🧿 Pilgrims donated personal belongings, weapons, and icons to the temple, hoping for deliverance from troubles;
• 🤫 The tradition of “transfer to the icon” is still preserved, when a person who has acted unfairly is symbolically “transferred to Saint George for judgment.”

🕊 Saint George is especially revered in Ilorus. He is called Ilorus George, and it is here, according to legend, that two spears belonging to the saint himself were kept.

📅 Every year, on the holiday of Georgoba (St. George's Day), even warring princes would come here, temporarily stopping their wars for the sake of worship. A sacred ritual was held - the sacrifice of a bull, the meat of which was then divided among all those who came.

📖 What travelers and historians wrote

• ✍️ Arcangelo Lambert, an Italian monk, described the temple as one of the most significant places in Western Georgia. He was struck by the atmosphere and power of the shrine.
• 🎨 Cristoforo de Castelli made a sketch of the temple and described the rituals of Georgoba.
• 📚 Anatoly Katsia, an Abkhazian researcher, devoted an entire dissertation to the temple and proved its 100% Georgian origin.
  

Historians emphasize that the temple was a religious and educational center - it housed schools, supported pilgrims, and carried out spiritual activities even during the years of persecution.

🗣 What eyewitnesses say

💬 Local residents recall that even during the Soviet years, when most churches in the region were closed, people continued to baptize, marry and pray in Ilor. It was here that icons and relics from other destroyed churches were secretly brought. The temple was considered a refuge of faith.

🛐 The clergy held services in the open air, despite threats and prohibitions. People were baptized right in the river, and holy water was taken from a spring near the temple.

✨ This is a place where the ritual of exorcism is still performed. Pilgrims from all over the Orthodox world come here in the hope of finding healing - spiritual and physical. They say that many leave as different people.

🌟 Believers believe that the temple is under the special protection of St. George - the protector of the weak and the fighter against evil. It is believed that the saint himself protects these walls, and therefore the temple cannot be destroyed, even during wars.

🧡 The Ilori Temple is not just an architectural monument. It is a living shrine, a place of power, where everyone can touch the eternal: some in search of a miracle, some for peace and quiet, and some to realize that they are not alone.

✨ Many pilgrims and tourists say that:

“In the Ilori temple, time seems to stand still—here you can feel not just history, but the living breath of faith and memory.”

"There is incredible silence in the temple... I left there with a light heart and tears in my eyes. As if someone hugged me and let me go of all the heavy stuff..."
- Maria, a tourist from Moscow

🗣️ "I saw a woman being held by four people - she was screaming in a voice that wasn't her own. The priest was reading prayers, and at some point she went quiet... Then she started crying. She said that for the first time in many years she felt relief."
— a pilgrim from Rostov

"I'm not a big believer, but I felt something special in the Ilori temple. Even in Soviet times, people brought their sacred relics here - that says a lot"
— Georgy, amateur historian

"My grandmother used to tell me how, when she was young, people would come to Ilor even from the mountainous regions on foot. For us, it is a sacred place, and no dome will change its essence."
— Lasha, a local resident

🗣️ "We went to Ilor on the advice of an elder. My son suffered from causeless panic attacks. After prayer and a ritual, he was able to sleep peacefully for the first time. I don't know how it works, but this place is definitely special."
— man from Tbilisi

🎒 Tips for tourists

What to consider, where to have a snack, where to stay overnight and what else to see nearby

🍽 Where to eat nearby

There may not be any cafes or restaurants in the village of Ilor itself, so it is worth focusing on the nearest city - Ochamchira (only 5 km from the temple). There are canteens, cafes and establishments with national cuisine, where you can eat inexpensively and tasty.

If you are coming from Sukhum or returning there, the choice in the capital is even wider. There you can easily find establishments with a sea view, Abkhazian and Georgian cuisine, bakeries, fast food and cafes for every taste and budget.

🔗 Find cafes and restaurants in Ochamchira and Sukhum in our catalog - we have collected the best places according to reviews from tourists and locals.

🛏 Where to spend the night

You can stay in Ochamchire itself - there are small hotels, guest houses and apartments for daily rent. In the summer, rooms and housing are often rented from locals, especially in the surrounding villages.

💡 If you prefer more comfort and convenient logistics, it is worth planning an overnight stay in Sukhum, the capital of Abkhazia. There is a wide choice of hotels, hostels and apartments, including those with a sea view.

🔗 See accommodation in Ochamchira and Sukhum in our catalog - there are options from budget to premium.

📍 What to see nearby

If you are already in Ilor, be sure to take the time to explore other interesting places nearby:

• 🏰 Fortress in Ochamchira — ancient ruins right on the seashore, interesting for lovers of history and panoramic views.
• 🕍 Ancient temples and monasteries of the region — just 30-40 minutes from Ilori you can see unique monuments of Byzantine architecture.
• 🌳 Ochamchira embankment — a great place for relaxation, walking and photo sessions against the backdrop of the sunset.
  

🔗 Discover the sights of Ochamchira district in our catalog.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions about St. George Church in Ilore

📌 Can I get to the temple on my own or only with a tour?
Yes, you can get there on your own, especially by car. But if you don’t know your way around the region, it’s better to use a tour group or a transfer with a guide.

⛪ Is the temple active? Are services held?
Yes, the temple is active. Services are held, especially on major holidays. It’s better to check the schedule in advance by phone or through local guides.

🕯 Do I need special clothing to visit?
Yes, the temple is Orthodox. Women are advised to cover their heads and wear a long skirt, while men should avoid shorts and sleeveless shirts.

💬 Is everyone allowed inside? Are there any restrictions?
There are no restrictions on religion or citizenship. But given the political situation, it’s worth checking in advance whether you can cross the border without hindrance (especially for citizens of other countries).

Can I take pictures in the temple?
Photography outside is permitted. Inside - it is better to ask the ministers. Out of respect for the shrine and other pilgrims, use a camera without a flash.

🚗 What is the best way to get there - by car or public transport?
By car - it is more convenient and faster. Public transport does not go to the village of Ilor, only to Ochamchira. From there - 5 km on foot or by taxi.

🕊 Why is the Ilori temple considered special?
This is not just a church, but one of the most important spiritual shrines of Abkhazia and all of historical Georgia. A temple with a thousand-year history, which preserves a unique spirit, even despite modern changes.

The Ilori Temple is not just an architectural monument. It is a living shrine that has survived centuries, wars, and even vandalistic "restorations." It continues to gather believers, seekers, historians, and those who simply seek silence under its vault.

🌿 If you find yourself in Abkhazia, don't miss the chance to feel its power. And we've already taken care of the routes, tips and memos so that the journey is easy and memorable.

🗣️ Now it's your turn!

📬 Have you been to Ilor? What touched you most – the atmosphere, the history, the frescoes, the silence?
💬 Write in the comments what advice you would give to those who are just planning to go there. Your story can inspire others!

⚠️ Relevance of information

ℹ️ The data in the article is current as of April 2025.

Information about routes, visa regime, service schedule and cost of excursions is taken from open sources, reviews and official pages.

👉 Before the trip, be sure to check the details:

• in tourist centers,
• by phone at the temple,
• on official resources and from trusted guides.