The church of the Mother of God stands on the site of the vanished village of Tala, on the right bank of the Markinstskali river, on the northern slope of the ridge. The nearest inhabited village is Samtsevrisi, and the church is active and restored.
The hall building is laid of smooth stone on lime mortar, and the door jambs are set with light stone. There are two entrances, west and south, both framed by an architrave outside and an arch inside, with niches cut into the jambs. Three windows give light: an arched one on the west, rectangular ones on the east and south. A plain stone cornice finishes the walls, the roof is tiled, the semicircular apse is separated by a side wall, and arched niches flank the altar window.
A plain cross, now barely visible, is carved on the architrave of the south door. A long Asomtavruli inscription survives on the architrave of the west door: its author, the son of Joseph the bishop of Bolnisi, records the building of the church and the restoration of Upper Bolnisi, Akhota and Tala, which time had ruined. The inscription is dated to 1651. A retaining wall of the churchyard stands to the south, a cemetery lies to the north and east, and beyond it the traces of the houses of the vanished village can still be read.
๐ก Tip
- An active church on the site of the vanished village of Tala
- An Asomtavruli inscription of 1651 on the west architrave
- A cemetery and traces of old houses lie nearby
๐ Getting there
- near Samtsevrisi village, Bolnisi Municipality, Kvemo Kartli
- The Build Route button will take you to the spot
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