The church is known simply by the name of the village: no dedication is given. For the high villages of Racha this is usual, where the name of the hamlet often replaces the name of a saint and older dedications lived only in spoken memory.
Chiora lies at the very head of the Rioni, at the foot of the main Caucasus range, twenty kilometres from Oni. Its nearest neighbour, the church of the Saviour at Ghebi, stands about four and a half kilometres away. Beyond begin the passes to Svaneti and the North Caucasus, and there are almost no inhabited places further up the valley.
The road here is seasonal: in winter snow closes the uplands, and in spring the meltwater washes out the unpaved stretches. Summer and a margin of time are the better choice. The church is a village one, services are not held every day; dress modestly and keep quiet inside.
📍 In brief
- A church with no dedication given, known by the village name
- Chiora in the upper Rioni at the main Caucasus range
- The church of the Saviour at Ghebi four and a half kilometres away
🚗 Getting there
- Landmark: Chiora village, Oni municipality; about twenty one kilometres to Oni
- The navigator opens with the Build Route button
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