The Church of the Holy Mother of God stands in Busheti, a village in the Telavi Municipality, eleven kilometers from Telavi. The village lies on the banks of the Tsinandliskhevi River, on the northeastern slope of Mount Tsivi, at an altitude of approximately 610 meters.
There are four churches in Busheti: Svetitskhoveli, St. John the Baptist, St. George, and this one, St. Mary's. There is no specific history for this particular church in open sources, so there will be no dating in the description.
But the village itself has a notable history. Busheti was first mentioned in a charter of the Kakhetian King Alexander in 1579. In the 17th century, the village was disputed, and by 1654 the conflict escalated to the intervention of Catholicos Christophore II. Later, especially in the 18th century, the secular feudal lords of Kakheti and the David Gareji Monastery, which rivaled Svetitskhoveli, gained a share in Busheti. After the abolition of the Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti, the village became part of the Telavi district of the Tiflis Governorate.
Today, Busheti has about a thousand residents, engaged in viticulture and gardening. The neighboring villages are Kvemo Khodasheni and Vanta.
🕍 What to see
The Church of the Virgin Mary and the three other churches in the village, vineyards on the slopes of Tsivi, and the road along Tsinandliskhevi.
💰 Free or paid
Admission is free.
Have you been to Busheti? Leave a review: tell us which of the four churches in the village are open and what you know about the Church of the Virgin Mary.
