Likhni Church, Orthodox church in Lykhny, Abkhazia

Likhni Church is a 10th-century cross-in-square church built of regular rows of pale grey ashlar stone, its small dome on a low drum resting on four free-standing piers. The façades are plain, pierced by small windows, with three apses projecting from the east wall and an upper gallery in the western part. A projecting arched portico with a shallow domed roof shelters a framed image on the central façade.

The building dates to the 10th century and contains an inscription from 1066 documenting a comet's appearance. This astronomical event is corroborated by historical records from other regions.

The 14th-century frescoes fill the chancel with a seated Virgin and Child flanked by angels, the Eucharist, the Myrrhbearers at the tomb, and the Hospitality of Abraham; the lower tier shows Basil the Great and Gregory the Theologian. Over a dozen Georgian and Greek inscriptions accompany them, including one in asomtavruli naming King Bagrat IV.

The church stands in the centre of Lykhny, in Abkhazia, a territory under Russian occupation since the 2008 war. Georgian specialists cannot reach the site, and the 2010 conservation work, carried out without professional restorers, installed a temporary roof. Check current access conditions before travelling.

A comet from the 11th century is recorded in an inscription at the site and confirmed by records from distant regions. This connection between local events and international historical records is particularly rare for medieval church buildings.