Gergeti Trinity Church

42.662544.620277777778Koordinaten: 42 ° 39 ' 45 "N, 44 ° 37' 13" E

The Gergetier Trinity Church (Georgian გერგეტის სამება; Gergetis Sameba ) is a Georgian Orthodox church complex in the region of Mtskheta - Mtianeti, municipality Qasbegi.

Architecture and History

The complex consists of a domed church and a bell tower from the 14th century and a building of the Council (Georgian საბჭეო ), which was mounted on the southern wall of the main church in the 15th century. The church has a rectangular plan. Your dome rests on the two westerly free-standing columns and the walls of the eastern apse. The church is built of well- hewn stone. Each stone has square faces. The facade and dome of the church are decorated with Georgian ornaments. The ornaments are also on the walls of the bell tower. The Gergetier Sameba church was a main church of the historic province Chewi.

The Georgian writer and scientist Teimuraz Bagrationi ( Batonischwili ) writes in his book " History Iweriens " ( Iberia, georgian ივერიის სიტორია ) that before the Sameba church was built on this mountain ( Sameba mountain ) is a cross stood. The construction of the church and its outbuildings is not safe datable; there are no medieval sources that specify a date, but scientists close of the architecture of the buildings from the 14th and 15th centuries.

The name " Gergeti " (Georgian გერგეტი ) comes from the missing Georgian village Gergeti on the right bank of the river Tergi opposite the center of the region, the city Stepantsminda. The church was built in Gergeti Sameba and still bears the name of this former village.

The inhabitants of the village had Gergeti the maintenance obligation for the church. They were called " serfs of the Trinity " (Georgian სამების საყდრისშვილები ). Was for centuries the treasure of the Georgian Orthodox Church of the Apostles, the cross of Saint Nino, kept in the Gergetier Trinity Church. In Gergeti the Georgian Chronicle " Mosachsenebeli Sultai " (Georgian მოსახსენებელი სულთაი ) was written, which contains important information about the history of Georgia.

Recent History

Since the political changes in the early 1990s the Gergetier Trinity church is used for religious ceremonies of the indigenous population. Furthermore, it is a welcome break after three -hour climb for hikers.