Khakhuli Monastery (Tao of Region)
Khakhuli Monastery (Geor. ხახულის მონასტერი, Tur. Hahuli Manastiri) is located in the historical region of Georgia-Tao (Geor. ტაო), in the Tortomi (Geor. თორთომი) area of Erzerum (Geor. კარნუ-ქალაქი) province, not far from the village of Khakhuli (Geor . ხახული), modern Bagbashi (Tur. Bağbaşı), on the left bank of the Khakhulistskali River (Geor. ხახულისწყალი). The Khakhuli Monastery was founded in the second half of the 10th century and was a large ensemble of several buildings. To date, the main temple of the Virgin, a separate hall church (IX century), the remains of a three-aisled basilica and a fence gate have been preserved. The complex is surrounded by a low stone wall. There was an academy at the monastery, the pupils of which were many famous Georgian scientists and theologians. An outstanding triptych of the 12th century, the Khakhuli Icon of the Mother of God (Geor. ხახულის ღვთისმშობლის ხატი), created in Khakhuli Monastery, is one of the best examples of Georgian medieval jewelry art.
The main, large domed temple of the monastery is a cruciform, elongated building, reflecting the early cross-domed style of architecture. The inner walls of the temple, as well as the facades, are lined with hewn stone. Georgian inscriptions (Asomatruli) (Geor. ასომთავრული) have survived on the walls of the Khakhuli temple, indicating the names of the masters who built the temple. The images of St. George and the Mother of God are clearly visible on the doors of the cathedral. After the arrival of the Turks and the expulsion of the indigenous population, the temple turned into a mosque and this saved it from natural destruction. Several saints of the Georgian Orthodox Church are buried on the territory of the monastery, but the location of their graves has been lost. Now near the temple you can see Muslim tombstones, very old, judging by their condition. One of the small churches in the courtyard of the monastery, which has survived to this day, is today used as a woodshed of the mosque.
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