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The walls are made of hewn quadras, not preserved on the southern facade, where they were substituted by bricks in 18th century. Exterior decorations of the church are characteristic for the [[Georgian Golden Age]] of 11th-12th centuries. The most well-preserved eastern facade with three apsids, and northern facade with the portal contain decorative rock engravements. Rhombic rosettes and convex [[architraves]] are the motives commonly used in church decorations of that period. However, also characteristic archature is missing except for portal passages. Architrave of the central apsid has ornamented cross. Decorations are generally disconected, rather schematic and miniaturised, which are the characteristics of 13th century style.
The walls are made of hewn quadras, not preserved on the southern facade, where they were substituted by bricks in 18th century. Exterior decorations of the church are characteristic for the [[Georgian Golden Age]] of 11th-12th centuries. The most well-preserved eastern facade with three apsids, and northern facade with the portal contain decorative rock engravements. Rhombic rosettes and convex [[architraves]] are the motives commonly used in church decorations of that period. However, also characteristic archature is missing except for portal passages. Architrave of the central apsid has ornamented cross. Decorations are generally disconected, rather schematic and miniaturised, which are the characteristics of 13th century style.


Interior murals were not preserved. Among various icons one, called "100000 martyrs" tells about a tragic event that took place in [[Tbilisi]] in 1226. The town was taken over by troops of [[Khwarazmian dynasty|Kwarazm]]-shah, [[Jalal ad-Din Mingburnu|Jalal ad-Din]]. He ordered that icons from [[Sioni]] church were dropped on [[Metekhi Bridge]], and Tbilisi citizens to step on them or beheaded. Church tradition tells about 100000 inhabitants, who disobeyed and were executed. Their heads were foating downstream of [[Kura River|Mtkvari River]].
Interior murals were not preserved. Among various icons one, called "100000 martyrs", tells about a tragic event that took place in [[Tbilisi]] in 1226. The town was taken over by troops of [[Khwarazmian dynasty|Kwarazm]]-shah, [[Jalal ad-Din Mingburnu|Jalal ad-Din]]. He ordered that icons from [[Sioni]] church were dropped on [[Metekhi Bridge]], and Tbilisi citizens to step on them or beheaded. Church tradition tells about 100000 inhabitants, who disobeyed and were executed. Their heads were foating downstream of [[Kura River|Mtkvari River]].


== History ==
== History ==

Revision as of 15:30, 21 August 2019

The Metekhi Virgin Mary Assumption Church (Georgian: მეტეხის ღვთისმშობლის შობის ტაძარი, romanized: met'ekhis ghvtismshoblis shobis t'adzari) or Metekhi Church is a Georgian Orthodox church located on the left bank of the Mtkvari (Kura) river, on Metekhi Cliff, in Avlabari neighbourhood, opposite the old town of Tbilisi. Time of the church construction is still arguable and varies between the 5th, 6th, 11-12th or 13th centuries.

Description

Following a tradition in Georgian architecture of harmonious relationship of temples with the surrounding natural landscape, Metekhi Church looks like a growing continuation of the cliff, visible from many city points. The cross-in-square church occupies an area of 20 × 16 meters and is somewhat prolonged vertically. Eastern facade has three convex apsids, with central apsid the largest. Nothing similar is known among the churches of 11-13th centuries, which makes it rather archaic. The dome with tholobate is internally held by four pillars, which is also a more arcaic feature. They were renovated in 16-17th centuries. Pointed arches under the dome are also the signes of 16-17th century rebuildings. The tholobate is an 18th century reconstruction.

The walls are made of hewn quadras, not preserved on the southern facade, where they were substituted by bricks in 18th century. Exterior decorations of the church are characteristic for the Georgian Golden Age of 11th-12th centuries. The most well-preserved eastern facade with three apsids, and northern facade with the portal contain decorative rock engravements. Rhombic rosettes and convex architraves are the motives commonly used in church decorations of that period. However, also characteristic archature is missing except for portal passages. Architrave of the central apsid has ornamented cross. Decorations are generally disconected, rather schematic and miniaturised, which are the characteristics of 13th century style.

Interior murals were not preserved. Among various icons one, called "100000 martyrs", tells about a tragic event that took place in Tbilisi in 1226. The town was taken over by troops of Kwarazm-shah, Jalal ad-Din. He ordered that icons from Sioni church were dropped on Metekhi Bridge, and Tbilisi citizens to step on them or beheaded. Church tradition tells about 100000 inhabitants, who disobeyed and were executed. Their heads were foating downstream of Mtkvari River.

History

Oral tradition attributes construction of the church to the King Vakhtang I Gorgasali in the 5th century, who erected it as his court church, or to his son Dachi in the 6th century, although neither archeological nor written evidence exist about this. Same tradition places the tomb of St. Shushanik into the church sacristy.[1][2] But no studies confirmed that yet. Some 19th century authors even mention exact year, 455, when the church was founded by Vakhtang I.[3]

The name "Metekhi" was first time mentioned in the Georgian medieval chronicles Kartlis Tskhovreba in connection with suppression of the rebellion against King Demetre I in 1132 (or 1145), and execution of eristavi Ivane Abuletisdze, who was buried in "Metekhi". It is though unclear, which particular church is mentioned. Except for Tbilisi, a church of Assumption is also found in a small village named Metekhi.

The second mention is concerned with The Battle of Shamkor in 1195 (or 1200), when King Tamar, after sending troops, "...took off her shoes and arrived barefeet to the Church of Assumption in Metekhi". By the fact that royal palace was in Tbilisi, it is often supposed that Metekhi Church was already there in the end of 12th century. Meanwhile, other facts from Kartlis Tskhovreba further confuse the situation. The troops before leaving for the battle were gathered in "Somkhiti", that is Lower Kartli region, and Tamar was present there. After sending the troops she walked to the church back in Tbilisi, which would be impossible to do barefeet. Further, it is said that she "went to the Church of Assumption in Vardzia and prayed before the Virgin Mary of Vardzia... and sent troops from Vardzia, standing there herself barefeet...".

If Metekhi Church was there, it was destroyed in 1235 during the invasion of the Mongols, and rebuilt some time between 1278 and 1289, under the reign of Demetrius II.[4][5] The third mention in The Georgian Chronicles tells that "The king... built a monastery in Isani Palace for the Virgin Mary of Metekhi." Isani was the original name of a neighbourhood on left bank of Mtkvari River on high cliff that hosted royal palace, and thus this is the earliest clear mention of presence of monastery in Tbilisi on Metekhi Cliff. At least untill the end of 14th century the area surrounding the monastery was still covered by forests, which is concluded from 1398 charter of Metekhi church: "... A monastery of the Virgin Mary Metekhi in Avlabar, with its manor and Avlabar forests belonging to it."

During the reign of Vakhtang V, in 1658, the church became a storage for gunpowder. The monastery was abandoned in the same century. Its first depiction also comes from the same time by French traveller Jean Chardin (1671).

The fortress together with the church were retaken from Turks by Erekle II in 1748. An engravement on southern facade tells about this event: "The King Erekle II forcely took this fortress from enemy, lead by the Christ's Cross like a shield. Having the church freed, he turned it into his court church. Such are the deads of Christ loving king. In glory of the God and to the King Erekle."

After Georgia was included into the Russian Empire, the fortress became a prison, and prisoners scratched their names on the church facade.

It was part of the royal fortress, whose fortifications were destroyed in 1937.

In the Soviet era, 1974, the church was made a youth theater. It had a backstage in southern part of interior, a stage under the dome, surrounded by amphitheater with 100 seats. Finally, the church was returned to worship in 1988.

References

  1. ^ Beridze, V.V., Mepisashvili, R.S., Rchulishvili, L.D., Shmerling, R.O. (1969). Metekhi Church in Tbilisi (in Georgian).{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ Дел, Россия Министерство Внутренных (1844). Журнал Министерства Внутренных Дѣл (in Russian).
  3. ^ Das Ausland: Wochenschrift für Länder- u. Völkerkunde (in German). Cotta. 1850.
  4. ^ Beriże, Vaxtang (1981). Die Baukunst des Mittelalters in Georgien. Anton Schroll & Co. p. 133. ISBN 9783703105319.
  5. ^ Beridze, V.V., Mepisashvili, R.S., Rchulishvili, L.D., Shmerling, R.O. (1969). Metekhi Church in Tbilisi (in Georgian).{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)