MTSKHETA-MTIANETI

Mtskheta Jvari Monastery

Mtskheta Jvari Monastery (586/7 – 604 ) represents of the distinguished monuments of both Georgian and world architecture. Regardless of its small size, this church stands out with its magnificent internal unity and perfect proportions. The name of the church originates from the big wooden cross erected by St. Nino the Illuminator to the east of Mtskheta on the high precipice above the confluence of two rivers Mtkvari and Aragvi.

Mtskheta District

It is noteworthy that the mountain represented a significant religious center during pre-Christian times. It became more and more significant after the introduction of newly declared Christianity, as pilgrims used to come to Mtskheta from all over the Caucasus and Armenia. In the second half of he 2nd century, Guaram, the ruler of Kartli, had a small church built near the cross.(known as the small Jvari church), later on in the 580’s Guaram’s brother Stephanoz initiated the construction of a bigger Jvari monastery in Mtskheta. The construction works ended in 604. Light pink and dark purple well cut square stones were used for the construction of the facades and inside walls. All the horizontal rows of walls are perfectly aligned.

There are two western and southern entryways. In the centre of the dome, there is a cross shape relief (impression). The images of those historical people who sponsored the construction are inscribed in the central part of the eastern façade.

. For example, nobleman Stephanoz is portrayed down on his knees in front of the Christ with the following passage in Asomtavruli (old Georgian alphabet); "ჯუართ მაცხოვრისათ, სტეფანოს ქართლისა პატრიკოსი შეიწყალე"; On the left side is Stephanoz’s brother Demetre with a patron angel and the appropriate writing: "წმინდაო მიქელ მთავარანგელოზო, დემეტრე უპატოსსა მეოხ ხეყავ"; On the right of Stephanoz stands his heir Adarnase with angels above him animated with open wings and hands stretched out. The child on his knees before the angel is Adarnase’s son. The Asomtavruli writing says: “. წმინდა გაბრიელ მთავარანგელოზო, ადარნესე უპატოსს მეოხ ხეყავ". Above the southern entry way there is a cross ascended by angels, a well known scene throughout the Christian world. The figures of the angels are portrayed in high artistic manner.

“ Anyone traveling to Tbilisi from the west or the north can see the silhouette of the Jvari Monastery from a great distance. As one gets closer the views from different angles against the backgrounds of the sky or the mountains change significantly. It does not matter from which prospective you gaze upon it, Mtskheta’s Jvari monastery captivates the observer and excites the imagination in the way it blends harmoniously with nature and the mountain contours. It stands as if it emerged naturally from the mountain. "The feeling of the natural harmony” and the organic link between architecture and the environment represent the characteristic and important feature of the Georgian monuments”. (Academician Vakhtang Beridze).

Jvari Monastery has another folk name, the “Chain Church”. The name is related to a legend dating back many centuries. According to this legend, the dome of Mtskheta’s Jvari Monastery was connected to the one of Svetiskhoveli Cathedral. The monks from the monastery used that chain to get to Svetistkhoveli. It is said that as a result of fading faith the chain was becoming thinner and eventually it disappeared in heaven forever. Mtskheta Jvari Monastery is the monument of national and universal importance. Therefore, this magnificent monument of Georgian architecture is in the “World cultural inheritance” list.

Svetiskhoveli

Svetiskhoveli represents one of the greatest and most significant churches among the religious monuments of Georgia and of Christianity. It is located in the town of Mtskheta, the old capital of Georgia, some 20km north of Tbilisi. Through the centuries, Svetitskhoveli represented the religious center of Christian Georgia. At the same time it has always been the burial ground of Bagrationi family members (as well as Gelati) and church dignitaries. According to chroniclers, based on the advice of St.Nino, the Illuminator, King Mirian made the decision to select the area called “King’s Paradise”

For the construction of the first Christian church in Mtskheta. This choice was not made accidentally. “King’s Paradise” represented the most important religious center in the Kingdom of Kartli during pre-Christian times. Based on archeological and written sources, it is clear that on this site of the future Christian church (the northeastern section) there was a temple of the Sun, the main cult of the kingdom during the pagan period

Svetitskhoveli Church was initially built in the 330s in honor of Jesus Christ. It was later consecrated in honor of Twelve Disciples during the reign of Vakhtang Gorgasali (5th century). It went through several phases of both destruction and renovation. According to the Georgian manuscripts (“Conversion of Kartrli”, “Nino’s life” and “The lives of the Georgian Kings” by Leonti Mroveli) the first church dating back to King Mirian’s epoch, was constructed using wooden beams. Nothing is said about building materials in Byzantine sources; however, Syrian manuscripts indicate that stone was used for the construction. This information seems to be convincing as in the kingdom, especially in Great Mtskheta, architects of the 2nd and 3rd centuries A.D frequently used stone in building construction.

Their sophisticated and intricate designs utilized combinations of different types of stones to include regular sand stones and cut marble in the construction of important buildings. Archeological excavations revealed the ruins of various structures to include palace style buildings, royal tombs, and Roman-Asian baths. Evidence of these and other structures was found on the site of the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. One of the most significant phases in the long running history of Svetitskhoveli is the second half of the 5th century A.D. when Vakhtang Gorgasali had a new and bigger church built instead of the destroyed one. The Georgian chronicler Juansher provides the information regarding the construction of Svetistkhoveli in honor of Christ’s disciples: "ხოლო მცხეთასა მეფემან ვახტანგ აღაშენა ეკლესია მოციქულთა სუეტი ცხოველი (გავიხსენოთ - პირველი ტაძარი მაცხოვრის სახელზე იყო აგებული), რამეთუ პირველი მცირე იყო მირიანისაგან აღშენებული.". The third and the main phase started in the 11th century, particularly in 1010, when Melkisedek I, Catholicos of all Georgia initiated the construction of a new church. Two centuries earlier the situation in the kingdom of Kartli was extremely tense - the Arabs invaded the country several times. They devastated Mtskheta among other cities. According to Vakhushti Bagrationi, the enemy burned Svetitskhoveli and Jvari Monastery in Mtskheta. Melkisedek I gave the architect Arsukidze an honorary and daunting task to construct a new church. The name of the architect is engraved on the eastern façade of the church and above the main window of the northern wall.

The inscription is written in Georgian: "ჰელი მონისა არსუკიძისაი შეუნდევი"; Next to the writing there is a relief of the right hand and the square (name of the tool). The church built by Arsukidze was significantly damaged 2 and half centuries later as a result of Tamerlane invasions. (1380s). As the Georgian historian Beri Ignatashvili says, the Mongols obliterated and devastated Georgia, and defaced the holy church of Mtskheta. "...იავარ-ყვეს და მოახრეს ყოველივე საქართველო, შემუსრეს და დაარღვიეს წმინდა კათოლიკე ეკლესია მცხეთისა..." Due to the ailing economy of Georgia, the repairs and renovation of the cathedral started 50 years later after the attacks. Russa, the grandmother of King Alexander the Great assumed responsibility to accomplish this difficult mission. After her death King Alexander I, age 24. (historically known as Alexander the Great) completed the repair works of the cathedral: "ოცდაოთხისა წლისამან იწყო აღშენებად სვეტისა ცხოველისა, და აწ ახლად აღაშენა და განავრცო და განასრულა, და ყოველით მოკაზმულობითა შეამკო და განაშენა" (Life of new Kartli, text II). The dome and the roof were once again repaired by King Rostom I in 1656. The repair works were done though no significant changes were made to alter the appearance of the church. When an Exarch (in 1801) was in charge of Georgian Orthodox Church, the majority of the old paintings were plastered and whitewashed. Later on as a part of the plan to welcome the Russian Emperor Nicholas I, the decision was made to knock down the northern (the part of Archangel’s church) and southern parts of the church. Such actions that could not be justified in any ways did not only change Arsukidze’s original style significantly, but also damaged the church completely. No original paintings have survived, though there is no doubt that the church had magnificent frescos. The paintings that survived through the centuries date back to XVI – XVII centuries. At the end of the second half of XIX century, some of the church walls were repainted. Among the paintings of Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, the most interesting is the one on “the pillar” painted by the Georgian painters under the leadership of Grigol Guljavarsashvili (the end of XVII century). This mission was initiated by Catholicos –Patriarch Nikoloz IX . The cathedral wall was built by Erekle II, the King of Kartli and Kakheti in 1787. It has two floors and was used for defense. The wall consists of 6 cylinder and 22 rectangular towers. It had two gates – one from the south and the other from the west. They stone wall and the ruins of the palace of Melkisedek I, the Patriarch of Georgia (discovered by the archeologists) provide evidence of highly developed civilian architecture in Georgia.

Mtskheta