Jvari, a Georgian monastery and temple perched atop a mountain where the Kura and Aragvi rivers meet near Mtskheta, marks the spot where St. Nino erected a cross, according to historical accounts. A smaller church, now in ruins, existed on the site by 545 AD. The larger, tetraconch-shaped church (22 by 18.4 meters) was built between 590 and 604 AD, possibly by architect Mikel Tkheli. Its design reflects Georgian architects' search for an ideal central-plan church, moving away from the basilica.. Read more » form and towards a unified interior space. The church is crowned by a dome on an octagonal drum. Faceted apses with flat niches define the facades. The east and south sides feature carved reliefs and ornamentation, including three ktitor portraits on the altar apse. While the sculptures are somewhat crude, the ornamentation complements the architectural forms. Although Jvari was listed among the 100 Most Endangered Sites by the World Monuments Fund in 2004, restoration work in 2007 led to its removal. However, graffiti from visitors over the past 60 years remains visible on the monastery walls.
Georgia
