Shatberdi Monastery (Region of Klarjeti)
Shatberdi Monastery (Georg. შატბერდის მონასტერი, Tur. Şatberdi Manastırı) is located in the historical region of Georgia – Klarjeti (Georg. კლარჯეთი). The remains of the main church of the monastery are located in the village of Boselta (Georg. ბოსელთა), now Okumushlar (Tur. Okumuşlar), in the province of Artvin (Georg. ართვინი), on the territory of modern Turkey. The monastery was called the “Great Lavra” and was founded in the 820-830s under the leadership of Grigol Khandzteli, with the support of the Klarjeti ruler – Bagrat Kurapalati. Monasteries of special historical and spiritual significance were called lavra. Since the 10th century, the monastery has become a major ecclesiastical and cultural center of the Georgian state, chronicles were kept in it, and its own icon-painting school was formed.
The monastery consisted of a church, a refectory and other structures. The main function of the Shatberdi Castle (Georg. შატბერდის ციხე) located next to the monastery was to protect the monastery. The main temple of the monastery, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, was a domed structure. Only ruins remain of this church. From the ruins, it can be determined that the dimensions of the church from the outside were approximately 27 x 18 meters. Judging by the nature of the building, the church was built in the first half of the 9th century. On the walls freed from sheathing and plaster, traces of numerous alterations are visible. Today, the Shatberdi temple is in a very difficult condition. Rain enters the building from the dilapidated dome. The lower part of the altar is destroyed. Most of the facing stones were crumbled and used by local residents as building material for residential buildings.
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