Ninotsminda Convent in Kakheti: A 6th-Century Cathedral

The Ninotsminda Mother Monastery is one of those places that exudes romance and antiquity. Looking through the photos makes you long to return.

Location: Kakheti Region, Ninotsminda village, Sagarejo Municipality. Georgia's attractions are scattered throughout the country, but within this monastery alone, you can see no less than three architectural monuments that could be called "the most beautiful places in Georgia"—at least, some of them.

A four-story brick bell tower, built in the 16th century, rises here, and the two-story palace of Metropolitan Saba Tusishvili, who lived here from 1774 to 1777, has been preserved. Also scattered throughout the grounds are a cathedral and the ruins of numerous buildings of various purposes.

The main and oldest structure of the complex is the Cathedral of St. Nino, which was built in the second half of the 6th century. According to legend, it was here that St. Nino once rested. Looking at the remaining walls, one can tell that the cathedral had a large dome. On four sides, apses adjoined the main space, typically semicircular projections crowning semidomes.

One of these apses, the central one, decorated with semi-columns, housed the altar. Apparently, the main body of the cathedral had a round, smooth outline; only the central domed section, with narrow, pierced windows, had facets. Based on its layout, the church may be one of the first cross-shaped churches.

Considering that the cathedral was built in the 6th century, it is logical that the building was repeatedly reconstructed, namely in the 11th, 12th, and 16th centuries. In 1671, Nikoloz Andronikashvili was the restorer, and in the 18th century, Saba Tusishvili. The latter was the architect of the enormous dome crowning the central vault.

According to legend, Erekle II (King of Kakheti), upon seeing the church after Tusishvili's restoration, remarked that its decoration was superb. Despite all efforts, fate did not spare this masterpiece.

The earthquakes of 1824 and 1848 caused significant damage to the architecture. Perhaps the weight of the dome, which pulled the entire structure down with it, was partly to blame. Currently, only one wall of the cathedral remains.

In the northeast of the complex stands a four-story brick bell tower, perhaps the best-preserved. Built in the 16th-17th centuries, it remains one of the largest in Georgia. The first three floors are occupied by vaulted rooms, each with lancet windows, a fireplace, and decorative niches.

The fourth floor is occupied by a faceted gazebo, offering stunning views, especially at sunset. A two-story wooden building was built next to the bell tower. This was the residence of the Bishop of Ninotsminda, the so-called bishop's palace, designed by the already-known Saba Tusishvili.

The complex is surrounded by a stone wall crowned with battlements. A round tower stands in one corner. Apparently, the monastery could have been used to repel an attack if necessary. Probably due to its beauty and defensive function, the local diocese received constant support from the authorities.

The monastery was also favored by the kings of Kakheti, Levan, Alexander, and David I, the kings of Kartli, Rostom and Archil, and Heraclius II and Teimuraz II, who actively supported it. Perhaps this is why the monastery had an excellent library, as evidenced by the manuscripts that have survived to this day.

Ninotsminda Monastery was the home of famous writers and poets. Bishop Ekvitim Mtatsmindeli and his assistant Arsen Ninotsminda, Mitrofan Ninotsmindeli, Ioane Ninotsminda, Saba Tusishvili, and Anton II of Georgia wrote here in the 10th and 11th centuries. And this is far from a complete list.

At the end of the 20th century, the complex received the blessing of the Patriarch of All Georgia for restoration and the return of monastic life. The renovations are complete, and a convent currently functions here. Since 2003, the diocesan see and bishop's residence have been returned here.

So, if you're still wondering what to see in Georgia, come here.

Read also

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