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camp was on the place. Executions of prisoners were regularly committed here. Fortifications were destroyed in 1937, and the church was also planned to be demolished, but managed to survive due to local protest. In 1940-60s, the church functioned as a depository for collections of the
National Museum
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was damaged by lightning in the 17th century and restored in 18th. The church has a portal on the northern side, with stairs and entrance from the east. The portal also had a western entrance, which is no longer in existence. Position of the portal in the central part of the wall, rather than in the
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in 1748. Carving on southern facade tells about this event: "The King Erekle II forcely took this fortress from enemy, led by the Christ's Cross like a shield. Having the church freed, he turned it into his court church. Such are the deeds of Christ loving king. In glory of the God and to the King
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are the motives commonly used in church decorations of that period. However, also characteristic architecture is missing except for portal passages. Architrave of the central apse has an ornamented cross. Decorations are generally disconnected, rather schematic and miniaturised, which are the
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The walls are made of hewn quadras, not preserved on the southern facade, where they were substituted by bricks in 18th century. Original walls remain on the east and north sides, lower part of the west and eastern part of south side. The entrance on the southern wall was also created in 18th
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on
Metekhi Cliff. At least until the end of 14th century the area surrounding the monastery was still covered by forests, which is concluded from 1398 charter of Metekhi church: "... A monastery of the Virgin Mary Metekhi in Avlabar, with its manor and Avlabar forests belonging to it."
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tells that "The king... built a monastery in Isani Palace for the Virgin Mary of
Metekhi." Isani was the original name of a neighbourhood on left bank of Mtkvari River on high cliff that hosted royal palace, and thus this is the earliest clear mention of presence of monastery in
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of Art, and entire eastern part of the interior was separated by thick wall. In 1974, the wall was demolished and the church was made a youth theater. It had a backstage in southern part of interior, a stage under the dome, surrounded by
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Following a tradition in
Georgian architecture of harmonious relationship of temples with the surrounding natural landscape, Metekhi Church was built to look like a growing continuation of the cliff, visible from many city points. The
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region, and Tamar was present there. After sending the troops she walked to the church back in
Tbilisi, which would be impossible to do barefeet. Further, it is said that she "went to the Church of Assumption in
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is internally held by four pillars, which is also a more archaic feature (two pillars after 11th century), as well as semicircular projections on pillars. They were renovated in 16-17th centuries.
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of 11th-12th centuries. The most well-preserved eastern facade with three apses, and northern facade with the portal contain decorative rock engravings. Rhombic rosettes and convex
172:, and Tbilisi citizens to step on them or beheaded. Church tradition tells about 100,000 inhabitants, who disobeyed and were executed. Their heads were floating downstream of
282:, in 1658, the church became a storage for gunpowder. The monastery was abandoned in the same century. Its first depiction also comes from the same time by French traveller
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If
Metekhi Church was there, it was destroyed in 1235 during the invasion of the Mongols, and rebuilt some time between 1278 and 1289, under the reign of
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in 1942 and subsequent years. The results, including description of church history and analysis, were compiled in a monograph by
Beridze et al. (1969).
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into the church sacristy. But no studies confirmed that yet. Some 19th century authors even mention exact year, 455, when the church was founded by
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After
Georgia was included into the Russian Empire, the fortress became a prison, and prisoners scratched their names on the church facade.
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Interior murals were not preserved. Among various icons one, called "100000 martyrs", tells about a tragic event that took place in
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First comprehensive measurements and quality drawings and photographs of the church were made by a group of scientists, led by
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in the 6th century, although neither archeological nor written evidence exist about this. Same tradition places the tomb of
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and prayed before the Virgin Mary of
Vardzia... and sent troops from Vardzia, standing there herself barefeet...".
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church occupies an area of 20 × 16 meters and is somewhat prolonged vertically. Eastern facade has three convex
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further confuse the situation. The troops before leaving for the battle were gathered in "Somkhiti", that is
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226:, who was buried in "Metekhi". It is though unclear, which particular church is mentioned. Except for
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Exterior decorations of the church, traditional
Georgian rock carvings, are characteristic for the
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View of Metekhi from the northeast, with parts of Tbilisi's Old Town seen on the horizon.
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The name "Metekhi" was first time mentioned in the Georgian medieval chronicles
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Beridze, V.V., Mepisashvili, R.S., Rchulishvili, L.D., Shmerling, R.O. (1969).
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Beridze, V.V., Mepisashvili, R.S., Rchulishvili, L.D., Shmerling, R.O. (1969).
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Beridze, V.V., Mepisashvili, R.S., Rchulishvili, L.D., Shmerling, R.O. (1969).
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Beridze, V.V., Mepisashvili, R.S., Rchulishvili, L.D., Shmerling, R.O. (1969).
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western part, is also not typical for the 11th-12th century architecture.
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in the 5th century, who erected it as his court church, or to his son
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Pointed arches under the dome date back to the 16-17th centuries. The
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with 100 seats. Finally, the church was returned to worship in 1988.
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Carved writing on the southern facade of the church, mentioning the
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The fortress together with the church were retaken from Turks by
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and was built between 1278 and 1289 AD under the reign of King
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Oral tradition attributes construction of the church to the
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The dome of Metekhi peaking from the left end of the cliff
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in connection with suppression of the rebellion against
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Das Ausland: Wochenschrift für Länder- u. Völkerkunde
88:. Much of the existing structure dates back to the
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Metekhi church of the Nativity of the Mother of God
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156:in 1226. The town was taken over by troops of
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80:church located on the left bank of the river
551:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
479:Дел, Россия Министерство Внутренных (1844).
464:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
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406:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
132:The eastern facade with three convex apses
514:Die Baukunst des Mittelalters in Georgien
369:Die Baukunst des Mittelalters in Georgien
312:In the beginning of Soviet era, in 1921,
188:Carvings on the portal arch of the church
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70:met'ekhis ghvtismshoblis shobis t'adzari
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516:. Anton Schroll & Co. p. 133.
371:. Anton Schroll & Co. p. 133.
149:characteristics of 13th century style.
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233:The second mention is concerned with
219:in 1132 (or 1145), and execution of
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482:Журнал Министерства Внутренных Дѣл
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59:მეტეხის ღვთისმშობლის შობის ტაძარი
36:Metekhi as viewed from Narikala
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576:Georgian Orthodox churches
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539:Metekhi Church in Tbilisi
501:(in German). Cotta. 1850.
452:Metekhi Church in Tbilisi
423:Metekhi Church in Tbilisi
394:Metekhi Church in Tbilisi
194:King Vakhtang I Gorgasali
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512:Beriże, Vaxtang (1981).
367:Beriże, Vaxtang (1981).
237:in 1195 (or 1200), when
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267:The Georgian Chronicles
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168:church were dropped on
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235:The Battle of Shamkor
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72:), known simply as
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247:Kartlis Tskhovreba
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146:architraves
100:Description
90:Middle Ages
354:References
280:Vakhtang V
239:King Tamar
206:Vakhtang I
547:cite book
460:cite book
431:cite book
402:cite book
306:Erekle."
303:Erekle II
137:century.
122:tholobate
115:tholobate
65:romanized
570:Category
332:See also
286:(1671).
221:eristavi
54:Georgian
272:Tbilisi
256:Vardzia
243:Tbilisi
228:Tbilisi
180:History
160:-shah,
158:Kwarazm
154:Tbilisi
86:Tbilisi
76:, is a
74:Metekhi
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198:Dachi
166:Sioni
111:apses
553:link
518:ISBN
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373:ISBN
314:NKVD
82:Kura
48:The
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