The church stands in the southern part of Vale, where the built-up area ends and the fields begin. The parish is small, with private houses and kitchen gardens around it.
Vale is a small town in Akhaltsikhe Municipality that grew around coal mining and the railway: the line from Khashuri ends here. Ottoman documents of the late sixteenth century mention Vale as the centre of a district where Georgian families lived by farming and orcharding. Akhaltsikhe is a few kilometres away on a good road.
Keep a restrained manner: for nearby villages this is a working place of prayer. The site remains part of the everyday life of the area, and that deserves respect.
Tips
- Come in the morning while the light is soft.
- Check the forecast, as rain makes the approach slippery.
- It is better to leave a dog outside.
Getting there
- The last stretch runs along a dirt road that softens after rain.
- Plan the visit together with nearby stops, as there is no dedicated transport here.
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