The Akhchia church stands on the left bank of the Mtkvari between Zemo Vardzia and Mirashkhani, right by the roadside. The Akhchia settlement and caves lie around it, so the church is part of a large cave complex rather than a separate building.
The small church is faced with large stone ashlars, finished with a plain entablature and covered by a hipped stone roof. The interior is modest in size and divided into two parts by a pair of pilasters with an arch. The entrance is on the south side.
The facades are entirely plain and the only ornament is a relief cross above the east window. The masonry itself works as decoration instead: the large ashlars are laid without strict horizontal courses, and the varied outlines of the stones give the church expressiveness and weight. The church was restored in 1984 under the restoration architect Tamar Nemsadze.
💡 Tip
- Part of the Akhchia cave complex by the Vardzia road
- Masonry without strict horizontal courses works as decoration
- A relief cross above the east window
🚗 Getting there
- Akhchia village, Aspindza Municipality, Samtskhe Javakheti
- The Build Route button will take you to the spot
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