Barakoni, Orthodox church in Tsesi village, Racha Region, Georgia
Barakoni is a stone church located in Tsesi village where the Lukhuni and Rioni rivers meet. The structure has a rectangular form with a dome supported by two interior pillars.
Architect Avtandil Shulavreli built the church in 1753 for Rostom, the feudal lord of Racha. This construction marked an important moment in the development of religious buildings across the region.
The church is dedicated to the Mother of God and known simply as Barakoni. An inscription on the eastern façade commemorates the architect Avtandil Shulavreli, the master named in the 1753 commission. The building was closed and desecrated under Bolshevik rule, so its religious use was interrupted in the 20th century.
The church stands on a cliff top above the confluence of the Lukhuni and Rioni rivers, just below the village of Tsesi near Ambrolauri. Access is by a steep path from the village, so sturdy footwear helps. The building has no heating, and the cliff edge is unfenced in places.
The church was closed and desecrated under Bolshevik rule, then damaged but not seriously in the 1991 Racha earthquake and quickly repaired. The dome was once covered with zinc sheeting; it now has a copper roof.
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