Church of Bzyb, Medieval religious structure and fortress in Bzyb, Abkhazia.

The Church of Bzyb is a medieval religious structure and fortress featuring a domed cross-plan design with three separate entrances on the western side. The eastern wall displays curved semicircular apses that define the sanctuary spaces.

The complex was constructed in the second half of the 9th century and held strategic control over access to the Bzyb gorge and river crossing. Its defensive position represents an important example of early medieval border fortifications in the region.

The church may have been the seat of the Byzantine bishop of Soterioupolis, which would tie this Abkhazian site to the Byzantine church hierarchy. Local names for it are Bzyҧtәi anykhabaa in Abkhaz and ბზიფის ტაძარი in Georgian. Georgia listed it among Cultural Monuments of National Significance in 2007.

The ruins stand in the upper part of the fortress above the right bank of the Bzyb River; the lower fortress was once crossed by an old road. Only wall fragments survive, so the ground is uneven and the layout of the nine interior bays and four pairs of columns is hard to trace. Sturdy footwear helps; Georgian specialists report inadequate conservation.

The church may have been the seat of the Byzantine bishop of Soterioupolis, an identification proposed for this site. Just east of the ruins, the remains of an older church are still visible. The south facade's upper window preserves a stone slab carved with three crosses.