It is mostly built of straight courses of cobblestone; corners and decorations are made of squares of pumice stone and arches, vaults, and pillars consist of brick.

A high, span-roofed middle nave ends in a horseshoe apse and is divided into three square portions.

In the 17th century, Persian invasions and Dagestani inroads into the area resulted in abandonment of church services which would not resume until 1822.

In 1845, however, the clergy of Gurjaani moved to the Khirsa monastery and the Kvelatsminda Church was once again abandoned.

In 1938, the Georgian authorities cleaned the area of the church and restored it as a historical monument.