Church of Bzyb
| Church of Bzyb ბზიფის ტაძარი (in Georgian) Бзыԥтәи аныхабаа (in Abkhazian) | |
|---|---|
 Ruins of the Bzyb church in 2006. | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Georgian Orthodox |
| Province | Abkhazia[1] |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | ruins |
| Location | |
| Location |  Bzyb, Gagra District, Abkhazia, Georgia |
  Shown within Abkhazia | |
| Geographic coordinates | 43°14′27″N 40°23′45″E / 43.24083°N 40.39583°ECoordinates: 43°14′27″N 40°23′45″E / 43.24083°N 40.39583°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Church |
| Completed | 9th-10th century |
The Bzyb Church (Georgian: ბზიფის ტაძარი, Abkhazian: Бзыԥтәи аныхабаа) is a ruined medieval Christian church at the village of Bzyb in Gagra District, Abkhazia/Georgia, on the right bank of the Bzyb River.[2]
History[]
Church is part of the Bzyb fortress complex and date to the latter half of the 9th century or 10th century.[3][4]
The church, dated to the second half of the 9th century, is a large domed cross-in-square design, with three projecting apses. Only the ruins of walls covered with blocks of hewn stone survive. They are located in the upper portion of the ruined fortress; the lower part was once crossed by an old road. The fortress was strategically placed to guard the Bzyb valley. To the east of the Bzyb church, remains of an older church are visible.[3] The church may have served as the seat of the Byzantine bishop of Soterioupolis.[4]
Georgia has inscribed the church on the list of Cultural Monuments of National Significance and reported an inadequate state of conservation.[3]
References[]
- ^ Abkhazia is the subject of a territorial dispute between the Republic of Abkhazia and Georgia. The Republic of Abkhazia unilaterally declared independence on 23 July 1992, but Georgia continues to claim it as part of its own sovereign territory and designates it as a territory occupied by Russia. Abkhazia has received formal recognition as an independent state from 7 out of 193 United Nations member states, 1 of which has subsequently withdrawn its recognition.
- ^ Church in Bzipi settlement Historical monuments of Abkhazia — Government of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia.
- ^ a b c Gelenava, Irakli, ed. (2015). Cultural Heritage in Abkhazia (PDF). Tbilisi: Meridiani. p. 22.
- ^ a b Khroushkova, Liudmila (2006). Les monuments chrétiens de la côte orientale de la Mer Noire: Abkhazie, IVe-XIVe siècles. Brepols. p. 317. ISBN 2503523870.
- Churches in Abkhazia
- Immovable Cultural Monuments of National Significance of Georgia