A religious heritage of great beauty
The main historical monuments to be found in any part of Georgia are religious buildings. Built in magnificent, impregnable natural sites, many of them have survived centuries of hostility. With Georgia's conversion to Christianity, religious architecture developed in leaps and bounds, often on former pagan or Zoroastrian sites. Georgia's churches and monasteries, with their often unexpected geographical locations, are priceless treasures for the country.
The earliest churches, such as that of Svetitskhoveli in Mtskheta, were often built of wood and then consolidated with rectangular cut stones, sealed with mortar. Western Romanesque construction techniques are easily identifiable, with elements such as groin vaults, round arches, domes, arches and pillars.
From the 4th to the 7th century, churches were built in great numbers to accommodate the ever-increasing numbers of faithful. The first basilicas built in Georgia were those of Bolnissi (478-493),Ourbnissi and Antchiskhati in Tbilisi. These buildings share similar characteristics, with a roof covering all three naves, the central nave being higher than the two side naves, which are equipped with a half-barrel vault. In the second half of the 6th century, churches with a dome in the center of the church really began to appear.
Fine examples include the church of Djvari (586-604), overlooking Mtskheta, and the churches of Martvili,Atenis Sioni and Chouamta. They were built on the same model - called the tetraconical domed plan - that was developing in Georgia at the time. Being similar to religious monuments found in Armenia, the so-called "Caucasian" style was born. The structure features four corner chambers and a central dome.
But the churches were too small to accommodate the ever-growing number of worshippers. For this reason, from the second half of the 7th century until the 10th century, religious architecture developed according to very specific types, harmoniously blending traditional elements, diverse forms and themes, and innovations. It was also during this period that Georgian churches began to feature an element of Byzantine origin: the dome on pendentives.
Under the reign of King Bagrat III (975-1014), Georgia was unified and economic prosperity encouraged the flourishing of architectural art. The new buildings were imposing. The Cathedral of the Mother of God in Koutaïssi (1003), the Cathedral of St. George inAlaverdi (11th century) and Svetitskhoveli in Mtskheta (1010-1029) bear witness to the country's new power. Numerous decorative elements were also created, on facades, arches, doors and windows. Inside, paintings cover the walls and vaults. The church of Samtavissi (between Kaspi and Gori), although smaller in size, is particularly noteworthy for its eastern façade, carved with highly detailed motifs (lily, griffin, cross, tree of life). Only this façade is original, as is the surrounding wall. The rest suffered from the 1283 earthquake and Mongol destruction.
Subsequently, the country underwent several phases. Smaller churches were built between the 12th and 13th centuries, with greater emphasis on frescoes and ornamentation. From the 14th to the 18th century, unrest in the country led to a marked decline in the construction of religious buildings. At the same time, prosperous towns were sacked and abandoned (such as Gremi, capital of Kakhetia). On the other hand, fortresses such as Ananouri, baths and caravanserais, under the influence of Muslim powers, multiplied.
The 19th century saw a revival with the prosperity brought by Russian annexation. Orthodox Russia encouraged the construction of churches, influenced by Russian architecture. In the second half of the 19th century, national Romanticism inaugurated a neo-medieval style, taking up the architectural canons of the Golden Age, but enlarging their dimensions, as in the Kachveti church on Tbilisi'sRoustaveli Avenue. The advent of the USSR sounded the death knell for religious architecture, but from the late 1990s onwards it began to flourish again, in a national style often criticized for its megalomania (the new Sameba church, gigantic and covered with marble on the inside, exceeds the size of theAlaverdi and Svetitskhoveli cathedrals). In non-historic urban areas, a number of medieval-style churches have been built.
Other religious styles have also flourished in Georgia. The country's Armenian churches in particular have their own style, distinct from Armenian religious architecture. Their apparent resemblance to Orthodox churches is a source of dispute over some buildings. Tbilisi is home to a very large number of ancient Armenian churches (in fact, most of the churches in the old town, even though they are now Orthodox); virtually every town has an Armenian church. Finally, Samtskhe-Djavakhetia is rich in Armenian religious buildings.
Catholic churches built between the seventeenth and twentieth centuries are of an indigenous style; in particular, one type, such as the church in Gori or the one in Koutaïssi, blends Jesuit architecture with local colors.
Last but not least, southwestern Georgia is littered with the ruins of 16th and 17th century mosques and madrassas built by the Ottomans. Very little remains, and the mosques that have survived(Batumi and Tbilisi) are 19th-century buildings of no particular architectural interest. Tbilisi once boasted a large number of Iranian-style Shiite mosques, but Beria razed them all in the 1930s, leaving one of the city's few Sunni mosques, which is not very refined.
Secular architecture, Russian influence and traditional habitat
In Georgia, civil buildings dating from before the 19th century are rare. There are, however, a few palaces, such as the Persian-style Irakli II palace in Telavi and the Eeristavi palace in Akhalgori, as well as numerous fortresses, often in ruins.
1801 is an important date in the country's history, as it corresponds to the attachment of Georgia to Russia. Although the specific features of local architecture did not disappear, the Russian classical style invaded the cities, not only in administrative buildings but also in housing. In the old quarter of the capital Tbilisi, as well as in the old quarters of the main towns(Koutaïssi, Telavi), the Russian imprint is easily recognizable. A Persian style has also long persisted in the ornamentation and design of city streets, predating the Russian era, as in Old Tbilisi. An emblematic local feature of Tbilisi and Kartlie-Kakhetia is the use of finely ornamented wooden balconies. Their sometimes rocambolical structure plays a large part in the picturesque character of the area. There's a distinct orientalism that has been integrated by Russian and European architects who, in the 19th century, turned the old quarter of the Georgian capital into a "new Orient". This is clearly visible in buildings such as the Tbilisi Town Hall and the Opera House, which are very Moorish in style.
In the regions, the architecture of the dwellings is varied and was designed according to the lifestyles of the inhabitants and the climatic conditions. Whereas on the plains, houses feature large wooden terraces and arbors in the gardens, where you can take refuge on hot summer evenings, the higher you climb, the more wood gives way to stone, which is far more insulating. In the Great Caucasus, as in Svanetia, the strange tower-houses are one of the most surprising habitats.
Some villages, where dozens of austere towers stand side by side, will impress many a visitor; they take their place close to the houses in which the inhabitants used to take refuge in times of hostility.
Another architectural curiosity can be seen in the old streets of Bolnissi and Dmanissi, with houses built in the 19th century by German settlers. They combine the airiness of Transcaucasian houses (wood panelling, terraces, balconies) with the solid dimensions of Swabian farmhouses. Like an ornament from old Tbilisi on a house from Baden-Württemberg, this architecture is one of the region's most obvious architectural crossbreedings.
The Stalinist years left a legacy of many neoclassical buildings, less impressive than those seen in Moscow, and often based on local motifs, such as the Academy of Sciences or the Tbilisi Post Office, or the Stalin Museum in Gori. The least glamorous of this era are the new vertical-architecture districts on the outskirts of Tbilisi (Glani, Temka, Moukhiani, the Noutsoubidze plateau, Didi Digomi). Dating from the 1950s, these large housing estates are poorly maintained and detract from the landscape.
Typical of the 1960s was the khroutchovka, a small concrete bar with identical housing units. Over the years, however, they have been replaced by increasingly tall, low-rent housing blocks of poorer quality.
New constructions
In 2003, Mikheïl Saakachvili came to power following the Rose Revolution. He intervened strongly in the field of architecture, with the aim of eliminating certain elements of the past, such as Communist statues and memorials to Russian soldiers. At the same time, elements of contemporary architecture were introduced, in a style similar to that of new megacities such as Dubai and Hong Kong. The aim is to renovate old Soviet buildings (such as the glass-covered Adjara and Iveria hotels in Tbilisi ), or to build new ones, such as the Batumi hotels and the hotels in old Tbilisi.
Renovations for tourist purposes can be surprisingly disrespectful of the buildings' original architecture. The Bagrati Cathedral in Koutaïssi, with its surprising green roof, is a case in point.
Troglodytic architecture in Georgia
Georgia boasts three remarkable troglodyte sites. The town ofOuplistsikhe dates back to the 6th century B.C. and reached its peak in the High Middle Ages, when it boasted 700 caves transformed into living quarters, palaces, churches and theaters for some 20,000 inhabitants. Some 150 caves can still be seen today, including a Roman theater and an ancient pagan temple. Ouplistsikhe, "God's Castle", was inhabited until the early 20th century and is now a museum.
The monasteries of David Garedja are a remarkable example of monastic architecture built into the rock. Founded in the 6th century, the complex also contains caves for religious and residential purposes. They were built between the 6th and 19th centuries. Several churches are carved into caves, including the 6th-century Church of the Transfiguration. The site is now once again inhabited by some 50 monks.
But the most astonishing of all Georgian troglodyte sites is certainly the town of Vardzia. This ancient monastery was dug into the Erusheti mountain at the end of the 12th century on the orders of a woman named Tamar, who held the title of king. Spanning thirteen levels, the various spaces housed dwellings, libraries and stores. In all, the town was home to up to 50,000 inhabitants. Although an earthquake in 1283 destroyed a large part of its surface area, the undamaged part is home to a small group of monks who live on site, and it is possible to visit the premises.
