Dranda Cathedral
| Dranda Cathedral Нанҳәа иазку Дранда-ныха დრანდის ტაძარი | |
|---|---|
 Dranda Cathedral | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Georgian Orthodox |
| Province | Abkhazia[1] |
| Location | |
| Location |  , Gulripshi District, Abkhazia, Georgia |
  Shown within Abkhazia | |
| Geographic coordinates | 42°52′27″N 41°09′44″E / 42.87417°N 41.16222°ECoordinates: 42°52′27″N 41°09′44″E / 42.87417°N 41.16222°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Radial |
| Style | Byzantine, Georgian; Cathedral[2] |
| Founder | Possibly Justinian I |
| Groundbreaking | Possibly early-mid 6th century. |
| Completed | Possibly 551 |
Dranda Cathedral (Abkhazian: Нанҳәа иазку Дранда-ныха, Georgian: დრანდის ტაძარი) is a Georgian Orthodox Cathedral located in , in the Gulripshi district of the de facto independent Republic of Abkhazia, internationally recognised to constitute a part of Georgia.
According to the Roman historian Procopius of Caesarea, in 551 emperor Justinian I built a temple in these environs, this is believed by some to have been what is now the cathedral in Dranda. In the Georgian Orthodox Catholicate of Abkhazia, Dranda was the seat of a bishop.
There has been some restoration on the exterior walls of the structure and roof, covering with stucco much of the original brick architecture that was once visible. Small portions may still be seen in what was intentionally left untouched.
Gallery[]
Close-up of the exterior wall.
Baptismal font before the reconstruction
Interior with the font (after reconstruction) in the background
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formal recognition as an independent state from 7 out of 193 United Nations member states, 1 of which has subsequently withdrawn its recognition.
- ^ Mariam Didebulidze, Cultural Heritage of Abkhazia (Apkhazeti)
External links[]
Media related to Dranda Cathedral at Wikimedia Commons
- Photographs and background information (in Russian)
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- Orthodox cathedrals in Abkhazia
- Georgian Orthodox cathedrals in Georgia (country)
- 6th-century churches
- Immovable Cultural Monuments of National Significance of Georgia
- Abkhazia stubs
- Europe Eastern Orthodox church stubs
- Georgia (country) building and structure stubs