Description of the attraction
The Alaverdi Temple, located in the village of the same name, 20 km from the city of Telavi, is one of the most famous temples in Georgia. The cathedral was erected in the first half of the XI century. and today it is one of the tallest buildings of its time.
The history of the founding of the temple is very closely connected with Bishop Joseph of Alaverdi, thanks to whom the temple arose, consecrated in honor of the holy Great Martyr George. In 1010, the era of the reign of King Kvirike III the Great began, the main asset of which is considered not only the prosperity of Kakheti, but also the erection of the majestic Alaverdi Cathedral on the site of the wooden church of St. George. Historians believe that this significant event took place around the 1920s and 1930s. XI Art. Almost immediately after the construction of the temple, the Alaverdi diocese was founded here.
The cathedral has repeatedly suffered from enemy invasions and strong earthquakes. In the XV century. the temple was restored by Tsar Alexander I, but in 1530 it suffered from an earthquake and later, Tsar Levan again began to restore it. Around 1700, the temple was damaged by the Lezghins. In 1742 another earthquake struck and had to be restored again.
In 1614 Shah Abbas attacked the city. King Teimuraz I had to flee to Imereti. The icons from the monastery were transported to Svetitskhoveli. In the XVII century. the principality of Kakheti was attacked by the Turkmen nomads who seized the fertile lands of Georgia and the monastic territories. They used the temple itself as a stable and eventually turned it into a fortress. In 1660 the Georgians liberated Kakheti from the Turkmen nomads.
In 1828, after Georgia joined Russia, the autocephaly of the Georgian Church was abolished, and the diocese was liquidated. In 1917 the diocese was restored, and in 1929 it was liquidated again. Accordingly, the status of the cathedral was constantly changing.
Despite frequent restorations, the temple was able to maintain its original appearance. In terms of the cathedral is a strict cruciform central-domed building. Outside, the temple has a modest decoration with ornamental carvings, like most of the Kakhetian monuments.
One of the main features of the Alaverdi temple is the preserved amazing cathedral murals dating back to the 15th century. From the northwest side of the cathedral, you can see the ruins of the summer palace that belonged to the Persian governor Feykhar Khan. The palace was erected in 1615. There is also a bell tower here. The cathedral is surrounded by a fortress wall.
