Kaloubani Church of Saint George

The Kaloubani Church of Saint George is a Georgian Orthodox church and a monument of architecture and monumental art. Built in the 12th century, it is situated 5 km north of Mtskheta on the left bank of the Mtkvari River, on the crest of a high mountain. The hall-church design (4.51m x 2.72m) is constructed from rubble stone. A tower-like, two-story structure is adjoined to its western side; the first floor, roofed with a cylindrical vault, functions as the church porch. This annex features an entrance from the south. In the northern section of the first floor, there is a rectangular opening that leads up to the second floor, which serves as a belfry.

The entrance to the church itself is from the west. The semi-circular apse contains a single window flanked on each side by an arched niche. The sanctuary is separated from the main nave by a brick iconostasis. A fragment of an early medieval stela is embedded into the stone masonry of the altar table. There is one window in the southern wall, and another window cut above the western entrance opens into the space of the annex's second floor.

The interior of the church was covered with frescoes in the 12th century. The murals are monumental and serene in character, yet they show a stylistic inclination toward a more decorative and dynamic style. The color palette is distinguished by a refined harmonic range, combining pink, sky blue, white, and pale green tones with a reddish-brown base. Restoration and conservation works were carried out on the monument in 1975 under the direction of V. Tsintsadze.

Literature: საქართველოს ისტორიისა და კულტურის ძეგლთა აღწერილობა, [ტ.] 5, თბ., 1990.