Georgia is a country worth visiting at least once in a lifetime. The culture and cuisine of the state fascinate with its splendor. But most of all they surprise and amaze sights. One of them is Gergeti Church, located in the northern part of Georgia. The exact location of the temple is the foot of Mount Kazbek. The Gergeti church is called because it was built in the village of Gergeti, on the right bank of the river Cheri. This is an amazing building, from which acquaintance with the architecture and cultural heritage of Georgia begins.
From the history of the temple
Gergeti Church, the full name of which is the Gergeti Church of the Holy Trinity, or the Cross-Dome Church of Gergetis Tsminda Sameba, was built in the XIV century. The location of the cult building was the historic district of Heavy. Apart from this cathedral stands the bell tower, which also belongs to this period.
Gergeti Church was first mentioned in the XVIII century, namely in 1795. In those days when Georgia suffered from the invasions of the Persians, led by Aga Mohammed Khan, and the city of Tbilisi was almost completely destroyed, many relics were hidden in the Holy Trinity Church, including the cross of St. Nina.
The Trinity Church during the period of the Soviet Union was inactive. In 1988, a cable car was built from the village of Kazbegi to the cathedral . But it was soon dismantled due to the demands of the local population. Today the temple has been restored, and it is in charge of the Georgian Orthodox Church. It is also a working monastery.
A bit about the bas-reliefs of the temple
Gergeti Church, like most religious buildings, is rich in various bas-reliefs, which will certainly cause interest and delight not only among ordinary tourists, but also among specialists in religious symbolism. Among the bas-reliefs there are also kukby and other various ornaments.
One of the bas-reliefs located on the bell tower is of particular interest. On the western side of the building, some terrible creatures were recreated, somewhat reminiscent of chameleons. These are images of vishaps. They were once deities, but with the advent of Christianity, they all turned into dragons, which were considered a symbol of pagan beliefs. Above, on the right side of these monsters, a cross is depicted, which symbolizes the victory of Christianity over paganism.
The inner asceticism of the cathedral
Gergeti Church (Georgia) is a unique building from the outside. But inside it is a poor, even ascetic building, the walls of which are deprived of decoration, frescoes and even plaster. Due to its location, there is no electric lighting in the cathedral. Through the small windows very little light enters the building, and therefore twilight reigns there forever. Combining with ascetic design, he adds notes of mysticism to the temple.
Outside, on a mountain background, the church evokes indescribable impressions.
Interesting information about the temple
The 1906 edition of the guidebook contains information that a silver ram is stored in the cathedral - one of the pagan idols. There is even an opinion that the relic is carefully hidden by representatives of the clergy who wrapped it in epitrachil. This information has been over a hundred years old, and today it has not been confirmed by anything. But scientists say that even if the relic existed, it was taken away from here in communist times.
The Trinity Church is mentioned in the work of Alexander Pushkin "Monastery on Kazbek."
It will be extremely difficult for tourists, if not impossible, to take a good photo of the attraction. Inside shooting with a camera or camcorder is generally prohibited. It is not possible to photograph the temple from below, and there is quite a bit of space near the structure so that it falls into the frame as a whole. A truly perfect shot can only be taken from the top of a nearby mountain, which few travelers decide to climb.
Among the climbers who are trying to get to Mount Kazbek, there is a tradition: for the first night they must stop near the church. This helps to get used to the height and prepare for the subsequent ascent.
How to get there
If the Gergeti Church at the foot of Mount Kazbek (Georgia) and its visit are planned on the path of your tourist route, then you need to prepare for a tiring journey. After all, getting to the monastery is equally difficult both by car and on foot.
If you decide to drive a car, then doing this is a powerful SUV, since there is no asphalt road to the structure. Well, on foot the road ahead is as follows: first you will have to overcome the village of Gergeti, then cross a small forest serpentine, and then you will climb the mountain along a path lying at a great angle.
In dry weather, the path can be cut off using the forest path leading straight up. This path is located behind the village cemetery. In total, the whole trip will take about two hours.
Also, a minibus can deliver to the appointed place, however, not to the building itself (you still have to walk some distance), or a taxi.