Khakhuli Monastery

Infobox religious building
building_name=Khakhuli Monastery
ხახულის მონასტერი

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location=Bağbaşı village, province of Erzurum, Northeast Turkey (historic Georgian principality of Tao)
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religious_affiliation=Sunni Islam (formerly Georgian Orthodox)
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architecture_type=Monastery, Church
architecture_style=domed church, "croix libre" type
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year_started=tenth century
year_completed=late tenth / early eleventh century
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Kakhuli Monastery ( _ka. ხახულის მონასტერი) was a Georgian Orthodox monastery in historical Medieval Georgian Kingdom of Tao (modern-day Turkey), at the east bank of Kakhulistskali river, in one of the gorges of Tortumistskali 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 Ioane Khakhuleli, Davit Tbileli, and Giorgi Mtatsmindeli.

History

Khakhuli Monastery was founded in the second half of the 10th century by King David III Kurapalates and later the community advanced into an economically advanced region including 300 villages and 30 independent minor feudal lords. In 16th century, prior to the Ottoman conquest of southern Georgian territories, Khakhuli was part of Kartli Catholicate and after the Ottoman conquest of Tao, 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.

pecifications

Interior, windows, as well as the fecades 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

A 12th century triptych icon of the Mother of God from the Khakhuli Monastery is a very valuable example of medieval Georgian goldsmithery. Also, there are several small chapels around the Church, within the circuit wall, one of which dates from the 10th century.

Gallery

Notes

References

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

External links

"Khakhuli" retrieved from Parliament. Ge [http://www.parliament.ge/~lika/ancient/khakhuli/khakhuli_about.htm]