Jvari Monastery
About the place
- Country : Georgia , Tbilisi
- Address : Jvari Church, Mtskheta, Georgia
- Category : Places of Worship
Jvari Monastery
overview
Jvari Monastery is a sixth-century Georgian monastery near eastern Georgia. Along with other historic structures of Mtskheta. It is listed as a world heritage site by UNESCO, where it is a rare case of the Early Medieval Georgian church that survived to the present day almost unchanged. The church became the founder of its type, the jvari type of church architecture, prevalent in Georgia and Armenia built on top of mountain jvari, the monastery is an example of harmonious connection with the natural environment, characteristic to Georgian architecture.
Historic overview
According to traditional accounts, on this location in the early 4th century Saint Nino a female evangelist erected a large wooden (or vine) cross on the site of a pagan temple. The cross was reportedly able to work miracles and therefore drew pilgrims from all over the Caucasus. A small church was erected over the remnants of the wooden cross in c.545 during the rule of Guaram I of Iberia and named the "Small Church of Jvari", which can still be seen adjacent to the main church from the north.
Resources
omallqura website
tripadvisor website
