Travel Guide Sapara

It is "hidden" and bears his name well. The Sapara Monastery, hanging in the mountains above Akhaltsikhe, is a magical place. It seems to be at the end of the world, with sober churches hanging from a dry cliff. The road leading to the monastery offers a breathtaking panorama. The monastery has a unique atmosphere. It is one of the most beautiful examples of Georgian architecture of the late Middle Ages. A remote site, visitors are rare, and you will probably be alone with the monks The monastery has existed at least since the 9th century. It was an intellectual centre in the Middle Ages and many major figures of the Georgian ecclesiastical tradition worked there. In the 13th century, Sapara became a possession of the Djakeli family, which extended its power over the whole of Samtskhe. The Sarguese prince Djakeli took orders at the end of his life under the name of Sheba. It was his son Beka who made him raise a church here, the main structure of the complex. The rise of the Djakeli (who had made a pact with the Mongols) corresponds to a general decline in Georgia, a fact that underlines the greatness of an achievement such as Sapara for its time. The first church you see on entering is the church of Saint-Stéphane (13th century). Just behind it is the main structure, Saint-Saba. It is one of the largest religious buildings built in this troubled period of Georgian history. Its architect, Parezasdze, inscribed his name above the side door. Its interior is sober, which further enhances the 14th-century frescoes, which are of great finesse. Finally, at the end, the small church remaining from the previous structure: it is the church of Ghmrtismchoblis Midziebis (the Assumption of Mary). This elegant little structure contained a valuable 11th century iconostasis, but part of it is now on display in the National Museum in Tbilisi, the other in the Museum in Akhaltsikhe. Don't miss the view from in front of the Church of the Assumption: the whole Meskhetia is dominated.