Opiza Monastery (Region Of Klardjeti)
Opiza Monastery (Georg. ოპიზას მონასტერი, Tur. Opiza Manastırı). The Georgian monastery complex Opiza is located in the historical region of Klarjeti (Georg. კლარჯეთი), in the modern province of Artvin (Georg. ართვინი), not far from the historic Georgian village of Opiza (Georg. ოპიზა) , today Bagchilar (Tur. Bağçılar). The monastery was founded in the second half of the 5th century and has been an important religious and cultural center for centuries. In the 12th century, famous jewelers Beka and Beshken Opizarb worked in Opiza.
Opiza Monastery was built in the valley of the Shavsheti (Georg. შავშეთი) and Imerkhevi (Georg. იმერხევი) rivers, on a steep slope, on large terraces. To the southwest of the temple is a bell tower, of which only the lower floor has survived. The ruins of the refectory of the 11th century have survived to this day. After the conquest of Klarjeti by the Ottomans in the 16th century, Opiza was completely deserted. The walled complex was well preserved until the 20th century, including temple paintings and stone carvings. In 1965, during the construction of a road in the village, the church was blown up, after which the complex was almost completely destroyed.
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