The Samkariani church, dedicated to Saint George, stands beyond Vazisubani village in Gurjaani Municipality. Sources assign it to the early Middle Ages and dates it to the span from the 5th to the 7th century, the age of the first Georgian stone churches.
The building is laid of cobble of varying size: the outer walls are set with larger stones, the gaps between them filled with small fragments and lime mortar, while the largest and best worked blocks are placed at the corners. There are two entrances, from the south and the west, both framed by a sandstone architrave outside and a semicircular arch inside.
The apse is horseshoe shaped and separated from the hall by a slightly raised floor, its window repeats the same horseshoe form, small niches are cut on either side, and the altar table survives in part. Two windows in the south wall light the hall, and a rectangular chamber under a barrel vault adjoins the church from the north. The building is badly damaged: the perimeter walk, part of the arch, fragments of the walls and single facing stones have all been lost.
💡 Tip
- An early church, Dated to the 5th to 7th century
- A horseshoe shaped apse and window, a form rare in later buildings
- The building is badly damaged, part of the walls and arch is lost
🚗 Getting there
- near Vazisubani village, Gurjaani Municipality, Kakheti
- The Build Route button will take you to the spot
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