Lomisa church, Medieval Orthodox church on mountain ridge in Dusheti Municipality, Georgia
Lomisa church is a medieval stone building set on a mountain ridge between two high valleys in Dusheti Municipality, Georgia. It sits at roughly 7,200 feet (2,200 m) above sea level, with no other buildings around it.
The church is thought to date to the 9th or 10th century, making it one of the early Christian buildings in the Georgian highlands. It was restored at later points and has been in continuous religious use ever since.
The church is the site of one of the most attended mountain festivals in Georgia, held every year on the second Sunday after Pentecost. Pilgrims from across the region climb to the church on foot, many walking through the night to arrive in time.
The church can only be reached on foot via mountain trails from nearby villages, with the hike taking several hours each way. The path climbs steeply, so sturdy footwear and a good level of fitness are important before setting out.
The church has an iron-clad wooden door engraved with inscriptions from several different centuries, making it a rare record of how long the site has been visited. Doors of this kind, with layered medieval inscriptions, are very rare among mountain churches in Georgia.
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