Faith / Monastery
Opiza Monastery
Ardanuç, Artvin
The remains, in Bağcılar village, of one of the earliest monasteries of the Georgian Middle Ages, where the famous Opiza Gospels were copied.
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Its story
According to Georgian chronicles, the monastery was founded in the 5th century under King Vakhtang Gorgasali, fell into ruin in the Arab raids of the 7th century and was rebuilt in the 9th century with the support of the Bagratid Ashot I. Dedicated to John the Baptist, the monastery was a manuscript center; the Opiza Gospels, copied here in 913, are now preserved at the Iviron Monastery in Greece. The ensemble consisted of a main church, a chapel, a bell tower, a refectory and cells. The 10th-century main church was largely destroyed in the 1960s when the village road was built; some of its stones were used in the village mosque and houses. Today visitors are greeted by wall fragments, decorated stones and a peaceful village view overlooking the valley.
Key facts
- Period
- Founded 5th century; 9th–10th-century buildings
- Admission
- Free
- Getting there
- Bağcılar village, from the Berta (Ortaköy) direction
- Visit duration
- 30 minutes
Trip purpose
- Free
- Quiet
Location
41.22353, 42.03645
Reviews
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Source: Web derlemesi (doğrulanmalı): https://www.kulturportali.gov.tr/turkiye/artvin/gezilecekyer/opiza-manastiri | https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opiza_Manastırı | https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/3192034783