Surb Hovhannes is a church of St. John on the northern edge of Machatia, the village’s another site after the church of Gregory the Illuminator. The Armenian name of the place contains the word vank, that is a monastery: a trace of the place having once been more than a parish church: traces of a wall and outbuildings still read around it.
Together the two churches of Machatia make a short village route: the working church on one edge, Surb Hovhannes on the other, and between them the whole village with its yards and the field horizons of Javakheti. Walking it end to end takes half an hour at a calm pace.
The place is seen freely, with ordinary courtesy: a quiet voice, respect for the yards and fields. The dirt road to the site is passable in dry weather; after rain it is better walked.
📌 In brief
- The dedication: St. John; vank in Armenian means a monastery
- The northern edge of Machatia, the Javakheti plateau
- A pair to the church of Gregory the Illuminator at the other edge
🚗 Getting there
- Landmark - the northern edge of Machatia; about six kilometres to Akhalkalaki
- The navigator opens with the Build Route button
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