The church of the Virgin Mary stands in the upper part of Chkheri village in Kharagauli Municipality, southwest of the cemetery. It is a fairly large hall laid of quarried stone with cobble on lime mortar, the corners hewn from shirimi, the window openings from ashlars of various rock and the entrance arches from sandstone.
The plan is rectangular with a deep semicircular apse on the east holding three arched niches, one on the south and two on the north. The triumphal arch rests not on the shoulders of the apse but on capitals above them, the shoulders themselves are carried by wall arches of shirimi, and the vault arches lie on the capitals of the pilasters where the wall arches meet.
The carving here is notable. A slab with five crosses is set in a row above the arch of the south entrance, a large one at the centre and small ones at the sides. A large cross carved from a single stone is fixed to the gable of the east facade, dressed with circular and geometric ornament, with small crosses shown on its cross arms. The floor is of earth, the cornice is a shelf, and traces of plaster survive in the apse and beneath the east window.
💡 Tip
- A slab with five crosses above the south entrance
- A large single stone cross on the east gable
- The triumphal arch rests on capitals rather than on the shoulders
🚗 Getting there
- Chkheri village, Kharagauli Municipality, Imereti
- The Build Route button will take you to the spot
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