Tskhrakara monastery, Orthodox monastery in Kakheti, Georgia
Tskhrakara monastery is a walled complex of several churches and monastic buildings in the mountains 3–5 km west of Matani. Its main church is a three-nave basilica measuring 10 by 8.7 m, built of cobblestone and small stone with yellowish stone for some structural parts. Single-nave churches were attached to its north and west sides, and a small late-medieval church stands about four metres to the west.
The monastery was built in the 5th century as the main church, while two additional churches were added in the 8th century. This expansion shows the growing importance of the site for the Orthodox community in the Kakheti region.
The monastery displays Georgian Orthodox building styles through its carefully cut stones and interior wall paintings from the 15th century. These frescoes and stonework give a sense of the craftsmanship that was common during that era.
The site lies about 3 to 5 kilometers west of Matani in the Akhmeta district and is under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Alaverdi. Access follows local mountain roads, so planning ahead with local guidance helps visitors find the way.
The 16th-century frescoes in the main nave were commissioned by Anastasia, daughter of Garsevan Cholokashvili, who took the monastic name Ana. On the west wall survives a fragment of the Dormition, and above the entrance a "Christ's watchful eye"; nearby an old man with a crown writes on a scroll, labelled in Greek "Saint David".
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