Martkopi monastery, Medieval monastery in Gardabani Municipality, Georgia.
Martkopi Monastery is a religious complex in Gardabani Municipality with a domed church, a bell tower built in 1699, and a tall stone pillar on the southern slopes of the Ialno Range. The buildings are arranged around the central church, forming a connected monastic compound.
The monastery was founded in 545 AD by a holy man from Edessa who settled there as a hermit. It later gained prominence when it became the bishop's seat of a nearby city following its destruction.
The monastery displays a blend of Georgian and Persian architectural styles that became visible from the 17th century onward. Visitors can observe this mix in the decorative details and construction methods of the standing buildings.
The monastery sits in an elevated position east of the capital city with wide views over the surrounding landscape. Access comes through roads that pass near a local village, and visitors should be prepared for uneven terrain around the buildings.
The famous stone pillar was rebuilt over the remains of an older medieval column and served monks as a hermitage location. Such pillars were an unusual place for spiritual practice in early eastern religious history.
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