Metekhi Church

The Metekhi church of the Nativity of the Mother of God (Georgian: მეტეხის ღვთისმშობლის შობის ტაძარი, romanized: met'ekhis ghvtismshoblis shobis t'adzari), known simply as Metekhi, is a Georgian Orthodox Christian church located on the left bank of the river Kura.

Much of the existing structure dates back to the Middle Ages and was built between 1278 and 1289 AD under the reign of King Demetrius II of Georgia,[1][2] although oral tradition traces Metekhi's origins further to the 5th century.

Following a tradition in Georgian architecture of harmonious relationship of temples with the surrounding natural landscape, Metekhi Church was built to look like a growing continuation of the cliff, visible from many city points.

He ordered that icons from Sioni church were dropped on Metekhi Bridge, and Tbilisi citizens to step on them or beheaded.

The second mention is concerned with The Battle of Shamkor in 1195 (or 1200), when King Tamar, after sending troops, "...took off her shoes and arrived barefeet to the Church of Assumption in Metekhi".

The troops before leaving for the battle were gathered in "Somkhiti", that is Lower Kartli region, and Tamar was present there.

If Metekhi Church was there, it was destroyed in 1235 during the invasion of the Mongols, and rebuilt some time between 1278 and 1289, under the reign of Demetrius II.

[7][8] The third mention in The Georgian Chronicles tells that "The king... built a monastery in Isani Palace for the Virgin Mary of Metekhi."

Carving on southern facade tells about this event: "The King Erekle II forcely took this fortress from enemy, led by the Christ's Cross like a shield.

Fortifications were destroyed in 1937, and the church was also planned to be demolished, but managed to survive due to local protest.

In 1940-60s, the church functioned as a depository for collections of the National Museum of Art, and entire eastern part of the interior was separated by thick wall.

First comprehensive measurements and quality drawings and photographs of the church were made by a group of scientists, led by Vakhtang Beridze in 1942 and subsequent years.