The Kashveti Church stands in the Gurjaani village cemetery, on the road leading to the Kvelatsminda Monastery. The church is dedicated to St. George and is listed as a cultural heritage site.
It is variously dated: Georgian sources cite the 18th century, while map descriptions place the building in the 18th-19th centuries.
It is a late variant of the so-called kupelhalle. Its interior is a hall church, crowned with a dome. Built of brick and river cobblestone, it has two entrances, one on the west and one on the south. In 2009, restoration work was carried out here by the Foundation for the Protection and Salvation of Historical Monuments, with funding from the Kartu charitable foundation.
The surrounding cemetery deserves special attention. Visitors remark on its ornate tombstones, and according to reviews, this is the most interesting feature.
The name deserves special mention. "Kashveti" is best known from Tbilisi's Church of St. George on Rustaveli. The name is traditionally explained by a legend about David Gareji: a woman accused the saint of being pregnant by him, and he predicted that her mistake would become obvious when she gave birth to a stone. From the Georgian "kva," meaning stone, and "shva," meaning to give birth, comes "kashveti." The Gurjaani church bears the same name and dedication.
🕍 What to see
A domed hall church made of brick and cobblestone, with two entrances on the west and south, and ornate tombstones in the village cemetery.
💰 Free or paid
Admission is free.
Have you visited Kashveti near Gurjaani? Leave a review: write whether the church is open and whether it's worth planning a visit to the cemetery.
