The full name of the place is a long one: the ruins of the church of John the Baptist of the Namarnevi hermitage, with a second name, Navanebi, sounding beside it. The word udabno means a hermitage, a secluded monastic place; what stands behind Namarnevi and Navanebi is not explained.
Chkumi lies ten kilometres from Tsageri, in the Lechkhumi mountains. The Archangel church of the same village stands about two kilometres away, the Trinity church of Kulbaki two and a half, the church near Larchvali three. Hermitages were set apart from dwellings, and that is plain here: the place is secluded even now.
Ruins are what remains, and what there is to see is the masonry and the plan rather than walls. The stones are not moved, the foundation is not stepped on, nothing is taken away. The climb is over grass; in summer closed shoes are better, in spring the path is damp.
📌 In brief
- The ruins of a hermitage of John the Baptist
- Chkumi ten kilometres from Tsageri
- The word udabno means a secluded monastic place
🚗 Getting there
- Landmark: Chkumi village, Tsageri municipality; about ten kilometres to Tsageri
- The Build Route button will take you to the spot
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