The All Saints Monastery of Vachnadziani

The All Saints Monastery of Vachnadziani is located in the Gurjaani Municipality, in the mountains above the villages of Vachnadziani and Kalauri. In scholarly literature it is known as “Vachnadziani All Saints.”

The oldest structure of the monastery, dating to the 6th–7th centuries, was a large three-aisled basilica. The western part of the monument has collapsed and only the eastern part survives; the destroyed section was carried away by a landslide. It was built of cobblestone and large bricks, while structurally important points were executed in limestone.

The main building of the monastery is the domed Church of All Saints, constructed at the end of the 8th and the beginning of the 9th century. The walls, some vaults, and the conches are built of cobblestone, while some arches and vaults, the drum of the dome, the trompes, and other elements are made of brick. The interior of the church leaves a strong impression on the visitor. Compared to earlier monuments (such as Jvari, Tsromi, Ateni), the proportions have been entirely reworked: the interior space is narrower and more elevated; and the longitudinal axis is more sharply emphasized. In its overall composition, the church represents a distinctive reinterpretation of the three-aisled basilica.

By its artistic qualities, the Vachnadziani church belongs to the most distinguished monuments of the transitional period in Georgian architecture. Among the monastery’s auxiliary structures, the ruins of the refectory and other buildings have also survived. There are several rooms to the south of the domed church; one of them with blind walls—was lit from above; it is likely that this chamber housed the monastery’s library. The monastery was once enclosed by a high defensive wall with a gate on the west side.

In 2011–12, restoration work on the monument was carried out.

Literature: ბ ე რ ი ძ ე  ვ., ძველი ქართული ხუროთმოძღვრება, თბ., 1974; Ч у б и н а ш в и л и  Г.  Н., Архитектура Кахетии, Тб., 1959.

P. Zakaraia