Khakhuli Monastery ( ka, ხახულის მონასტერი, tr, Haho/Bağbaşi) was a

Georgian Orthodox The Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Georgia ( ka, საქართველოს სამოციქულო ავტოკეფალური მართლმადიდებელი ეკლესია, tr), commonly ...

monastery in historical

Medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...

Georgian Kingdom of

Tao ''Tao'' or ''Dao'' is the natural order of the universe, whose character one's intuition must discern to realize the potential for individual wisdom, as conceived in the context of East Asian philosophy, East Asian religions, or any other philo ...

(modern-day

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...

), in one of the gorges of the

Tortum Tortum ( ota, تورتوم) is a town and district of Erzurum Province in the Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey. The population is 4,507 as of 2010. The current mayor is Muammer Yiğider from the Great Unity Party (BBP). History Tortum was par ...

river. The main church is now used as a mosque. Khakhuli was a very important centre of literature and Georgian culture and many Georgian scholars and theologians studied and worked in Khakhuli including Basil of Khakhuli,

Ioane Khakhuleli Ioane is a given name. Notable people with the name include: ;Georgian name for Given name John (given name), John: *Saint John the Iberian, a Georgian monk *Ioane Bagrationi (Georgian: იოანე ბაგრატიონი) (1768–1830) ...

Davit Tbileli Boat suspended from radial davits; the boat is mechanically lowered Gravity multi-pivot on Scandinavia'' file:Bossoir a gravité.jpg, Gravity Roller Davit file:Davits-starbrd.png, Gravity multi-pivot davit holding rescue vessel on North Sea ferr ...

, and

Giorgi Mtatsmindeli George the Hagiorite ( ka, გიორგი მთაწმინდელი) (1009 – 27 June 1065) was a Georgian monk, calligrapher, religious writer, theologian, and translator, who spearheaded the activities of Georgian monastic communiti ...

History

Khakhuli Monastery was founded in the second half of the 10th century by King

David III Kurapalates David III Kuropalates (, ''Davit’ III Kurapalati'') or David III the Great (დავით III დიდი, ''Davit’ III Didi''), also known as David II, (c. 930s – 1000/1001) was a Georgian prince of the Bagratid family of Tao, a histori ...

and later the community advanced into an economically advanced region including 300 villages and 30 independent minor feudal lords. In the 16th century, prior to the Ottoman conquest of southern Georgian territories, Khakhuli was part of

Kartli Kartli ( ka, ქართლი ) is a historical region in central-to-eastern Georgia traversed by the river Mtkvari (Kura), on which Georgia's capital, Tbilisi, is situated. Known to the Classical authors as Iberia, Kartli played a crucial role ...

Catholicate and after the Ottoman conquest of

, Khakhuli got isolated from Georgia.The Ottoman sources refer to the region as ''Haho Gorge'', and sometimes as ''Ishkhani''.

Khakhuli Church

Monastic complex includes Khakhuli Church, Georgian cross-dome church reflecting the early cross-dome style of architecture.

Dome

The Khakhuli Church has a dome with arcs, which is supported by the apse corners and two free-standing piers.

Specifications

Interior, windows, as well as the facades of the church is adorned with ornaments. The west arm is divided into three "naves" and the east arm terminates in a semicircular apse, flanked with one compartment on each side, also topped with small apses. The south window has an interesting decoration: it is topped with radial rays formed of stones of two colors and between the arches of the paired window an image of an eagle can be seen. The drum is furnished with twisted, paired shafts and the arches relying on them.

Treasures of Kakhuli

An Iconic 12th-century

triptych A triptych ( ; from the Greek language, Greek adjective ''τρίπτυχον'' "''triptukhon''" ("three-fold"), from ''tri'', i.e., "three" and ''ptysso'', i.e., "to fold" or ''ptyx'', i.e., "fold") is a work of art (usually a panel painting) t ...

Icon of the Mother of God created at the Khakhuli Monastery is one of Georgia's finest examples of medieval Georgian goldsmithery, and is now located in the

Art Museum of Georgia The Art Museum of Georgia (AMG) ( ka, საქართველოს ხელოვნების მუზეუმი, ''sak'art'velos khelovnebis muzeumi''), alternatively known as Shalva Amiranashvili Museum of Fine Arts, is one of the l ...

. Also, there are several small chapels around the Church, within the circuit wall, one of which dates from the 10th century.

Gallery

File:Tao-Klarjeti.jpg, Statue of the eagle which is with roe File:Khakhuli7.jpg, Inside interior File:Khakhuli6.jpg, Fresco File:Georgia Khakhuli triptych.jpg, The

Khakhuli triptych The Khakhuli triptych ( ka, ხახულის ხატი, ''khakhulis khati'') is a partially preserved large repoussé triptych icon of the Theotokos (Virgin Mary) created in medieval Georgia. It incorporates over 100 specimens of Georgian ...

, an iconic Georgian

Triptych A triptych ( ; from the Greek language, Greek adjective ''τρίπτυχον'' "''triptukhon''" ("three-fold"), from ''tri'', i.e., "three" and ''ptysso'', i.e., "to fold" or ''ptyx'', i.e., "fold") is a work of art (usually a panel painting) t ...

created here File:Saint George bas relief.jpg, The aerial flight of

Alexander the Great Alexander III of Macedon ( grc, wikt:Ἀλέξανδρος, Ἀλέξανδρος, Alexandros; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Maced ...

Notes

References

*''The Spiritual Treasure of Georgia''. Khelovneba Publishers, Tbilisi: 2005.

External links

''Khakhuli'' retrieved from Parliament. G

{{coord, 40, 51, 44, N, 41, 45, 37, E, region:TR-08_type:landmark_source:kolossus-dewiki, display=title Georgian churches in Turkey Christian monasteries established in the 10th century Mosques in Turkey