Katskhi Monastery, Orthodox monastery in Chiatura Municipality, Georgia
Katskhi Monastery is an Orthodox monastery in Chiatura Municipality, Georgia, enclosed by a pentagonal wall that surrounds a church with six apses and a central dome. The church is divided into stepped sections, and the enclosure wall gives the whole complex a fortified appearance.
The monastery was built in the early 1010s under King Bagrat IV and his wife Elene, who was a niece of Byzantine Emperor Romanos. Its construction came during a period when new monasteries were being built across Georgia.
The monastery takes its name from the nearby village of Katskhi and sits within a forested landscape that surrounds it on all sides. Visitors who make the climb arrive at a place that still feels removed from everyday life, used for religious purposes to this day.
Reaching the church requires climbing a staircase, so solid footwear is a good idea before starting the ascent. Taking the climb at a steady pace makes it easier and allows you to look around as you go.
The church entrances are decorated with bas-reliefs of lions, and the walls carry inscriptions in the ancient Georgian Asomtavruli script. This script is one of the oldest forms of Georgian writing, making these inscriptions a direct link to the early history of the Georgian written language.
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