Ancha monastery
Encyclopedia
Ancha was a medieval Georgian monastery and cathedral church of the Bishopric of Ancha
, located near what is now the village of Anaçlı, Artvin Province
, Turkey
. Purportedly once a cross-in-square
design, the church now lies almost completely in ruins.
The earliest recorded information about the monastery of Ancha is found in c. 951 Vitae of Gregory of Khandzta
by Giorgi Merchule
, which dates the church roughly to the early 9th century. It functioned as one of the principal religious and cultural centers of the principality of Klarjeti
, which was wrested of the Georgian control by the Ottoman Empire
in the 1550s. By the middle of the 17th century, the church had been completely abandoned. Its surviving Christian relics, such as the venerated icon of the Savior
, were transferred to the Georgian capital of Tbilisi
. Shortly after the Russian
takeover of the Artvin province, the historical Georgian churches and monasteries of the area were visited, in 1879, by the Georgian scholar Dimitri Bakradze
, who reported severe damage to Ancha. In 1904, Nicholas Marr reported that only a portion of the monastery’s north-western and northern walls and an altar apse with a fragment of the cupola had been survived. Nowadays, the building is almost completely ruined.
Bishopric of Ancha
The Bishopric of Ancha was one of the principal territorial jurisdictions of the medieval Georgian Orthodox Church in the province of Klarjeti , with its cathedral church at Ancha . It came in existence between the 7th and 9th centuries and had disappeared by the middle of the 17th century after...
, located near what is now the village of Anaçlı, Artvin Province
Artvin Province
Artvin Province is a province in Turkey, on the Black Sea coast in the north-eastern corner of the country, on the border with Georgia.The provincial capital is the city of Artvin.-Geography:...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. Purportedly once a cross-in-square
Cross-in-square
The term cross-in-square or crossed-dome denotes the dominant architectural form of middle- and late-period Byzantine churches. The first cross-in-square churches were probably built in the late 8th century, and the form has remained in use throughout the Orthodox world until the present day...
design, the church now lies almost completely in ruins.
The earliest recorded information about the monastery of Ancha is found in c. 951 Vitae of Gregory of Khandzta
Gregory of Khandzta
Gregory of Khandzta was a prominent Georgian ecclesiastic figure and a founder and leader of numerous monastic communities in Tao-Klarjeti, historic southwest Georgia....
by Giorgi Merchule
Giorgi Merchule
thumb|Icon of Giorgi MerchuleGiorgi Merchule was a 10th-century Georgian monk and writer who authored "The Vita of Grigol Khandzteli", a hagiographic novel dealing with the life of the prominent Georgian churchman St. Grigol Khandzteli .Giorgi was a monk at the Georgian Orthodox monastery of...
, which dates the church roughly to the early 9th century. It functioned as one of the principal religious and cultural centers of the principality of Klarjeti
Klarjeti
Klarjeti was a province of ancient and medieval Georgia, which is currently part of the Artvin Province in northeastern Turkey. Klarjeti, the neighboring province of Tao and several other smaller districts constituted a larger region with shared history and culture conventionally known as...
, which was wrested of the Georgian control by the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
in the 1550s. By the middle of the 17th century, the church had been completely abandoned. Its surviving Christian relics, such as the venerated icon of the Savior
Ancha icon
The Ancha Icon of the Savior, known in Georgia as Anchiskhati , is a medieval Georgian encaustic icon, traditionally considered to be the Keramidion, a "holy tile" imprinted with the face of Jesus Christ miraculously transferred by contact with the Image of Edessa...
, were transferred to the Georgian capital of Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
. Shortly after the Russian
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
takeover of the Artvin province, the historical Georgian churches and monasteries of the area were visited, in 1879, by the Georgian scholar Dimitri Bakradze
Dimitri Bakradze
Dimitri Bakradze was a Georgian scholar who authored several influential works in the history, archaeology and ethnography of Georgia and the Caucasus....
, who reported severe damage to Ancha. In 1904, Nicholas Marr reported that only a portion of the monastery’s north-western and northern walls and an altar apse with a fragment of the cupola had been survived. Nowadays, the building is almost completely ruined.