Rkoni: Monastery Complex and Ancient Church
The Rkoni Monastery Complex (7th-17th centuries) is located in the Kaspi District, 20 km southeast of the town of Kaspi, on the right bank of the Tedzami River near the village of Chachubeti, on the site of the former settlement of Rkoni.
The oldest monument in Rkoni is the Church of the Mother of God (7th century). Between the 12th and 14th centuries, the gates to this church, a chapel, the single-nave Church of St. John the Baptist, a refectory, and the Svimon Mesvete Tower were built; between the 16th and 18th centuries, a bell tower, residential buildings, and outbuildings were added. A single-span bridge, the finest example of medieval bridges in Georgia, stands 0.5 km from the monastery over the Tedzami River. Between the monastery and the former settlement stands the Rkoni Fortress (17th century). Within the fortifications, within the grounds, are the ruins of a palace and a single-nave church.
In the 12th-13th centuries, the Rkoni River was a significant trade and military-strategic route, connecting Shida Kartli with Javakheti and Trialeti, and then, via Armenia, with the Middle East. This factor contributed to the construction of monasteries in Rkoni and the surrounding area.
The monastery's main building, the Church of the Mother of God (18 x 12 m), dates back to the 7th century and has three entrances, a narthex (castophory), and a sacristy. Small fragments of 12th-17th-century murals have been preserved in the interior. The church's last restoration was carried out in 1972-1974. It also features a hall-type chapel (second half of the 12th century) and 13th-century gates (3.809.5). Fragments of frescoes dating from the 13th-14th centuries have been preserved in the chapel. The chapel's façade is faced with cut stone and decorated with decorative arches and carved ornaments.
The refectory, built at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries, is located northeast of the main church. A utility room (5.2 x 16.6 m), covered with pointed vaults and supported by six load-bearing arches, is currently in critical condition. The Svimon Mesvete Tower is located 100 meters southwest of the refectory, on the opposite bank of the river. Three floors remain. The two-story bell tower, dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, is located southwest of the main church. The second floor is a brick pavilion supported by eight open arches and has a cylindrical shape. It can be reached by a staircase located on the west side of the tower. The Church of St. John the Baptist (7.3 x 4.3 m), built in the 13th and 14th centuries, is a hall-type church. This temple stands seven meters from the main church, on a two-tiered base.
The Rkoni Bridge (Tamara Bridge) spans the Tedzami River within the monastery complex. It dates back to the 12th-13th centuries. It is a semicircular, monolithic structure 12.5 meters long and 2.2 meters wide, rising 7.6 meters above the river's surface. It is constructed of crushed stone and thick lime mortar. The bridge's supports rest on a natural bedrock foundation.
The bridge has been preserved in its original form and is the finest example of a feudal-era bridge in Georgia. Not far from the Rkoni Monastery are the Church of St. George Ikvi and the Church of Chachubeti.
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Мадлоба даёт советы от картлисцев: ехать утром без жары, 4WD для грунтовки, сезон весна-осень. Отзывы читателей подсказали зимние фото в снегу, FAQ — трансфер 30 лари, с детьми ок. Планирую вернуться к башне-обсерватории!
А вы были в Ркони — что зацепило, мост Тамары или фрески базилики? Делитесь! 🤔