Jmerki Monastery (Region of Klarjeti)
Jmerki Monastery (Georg. ჯმერკის მონასტერი, Tur. Cmerki Manastırı) – Georgian medieval monastery of the Assumption of the Mother of God, located in the Georgian historical region – Klarjeti (Georg. კლარჯეთი), on the territory of modern Turkey, the province of Artvin (Georg. ართვინი), near the Georgian historical village – Jmerki (Georg. ჯმერკი), modern Chimenli (Tur. Çımenli) The monastery was founded in the 9th century and is mentioned among the twelve monasteries (deserts) of Klarjeti. The monastery is located on a steep slope near the current village of Chimenli. Four terraces for monastic buildings were arranged here, one above the other. There was a church on the upper terrace, and some large building, probably a refectory, on the next terrace. There was nothing left on the two lower terraces.
The church, which was a small rectangular building, towered on retaining walls made of rubble stones. While the western wall of the church was completely destroyed, the rest of the facade walls remained virtually intact. Due to the destruction, the door and window openings of the church cannot be identified. Therefore, it is not possible to accurately determine the architectural style of the church. The church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary is a three-aisled basilica or a domed structure with a closed transverse plan. The roof and internal walls of the church are also completely destroyed. The monastery continued its activity in the early and late Middle Ages. In 1080, the Jmerki monastery and other religious buildings in the region were looted and burned by the Seljuks, who captured the Tao-Klarjeti region. It is believed that religious activity in the monastery did not resume after this date.
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