Katskhi Pillar

The Katskhi Pillar is a residual rock column situated within the territory of the Chiatura Municipality, on the watershed of the Katskhura and Ghvitora rivers. Its elevation is 650 m above sea level, and its height from the ground surface is 40 m. The Katskhi Pillar terminates in a rectangular flat summit, the sides of which are 17 m and 10 m in length. The slopes of the pillar descend vertically, making ascent possible only with specialized equipment.

In the Early Middle Ages, this site served as a habitation for Monophysite hermits. Two small, single-nave churches stand on the upper platform of the pillar. Researchers link the construction of chapels in such locations to Stylitism (pillar-dwelling), a practice that was widespread in Western Asia and, particularly, in Syria during the 6th century, with which Christian Georgia maintained close relations.

The architectural monuments of the Katskhi Pillar (the two churches, a hermit monk's cell, and buried kvevri [clay wine vessels]) were first surveyed in 1944 by a group of mountaineers led by Aleksandre Japaridze. The group also included the architect V. Tsintsadze and the writers L. Gothua and A. Beliashvili. A second expedition ascended the pillar in 1999 under the direction of B. Gujabidze. In 2000, the Church of Simeon Stylites was constructed in the courtyard at the base of the pillar. In 2006, a metal ladder was installed to facilitate climbing the pillar.

Literature: საქართველოს ბუნება, თბ., 2013; ცინცაძე ვ., კაცხის „სვეტი", «საქართვ. მეცნ. აკადემიის მოამბე», 1946, ტ. 7, № 8.

L. Maruashvili

Sh. Sagharadze