Gandzani Church of Saint John the Baptist

Gandzani Church of Saint John the Baptist stands in Gandzani village, Ninotsminda Municipality, Samtskhe-Javakheti. This small thirteenth-century hall church is one of the village's Georgian architectural monuments, distinguished by its restrained form and reddish stone masonry.

Location

Gandzani lies on the Javakheti Plateau, south of Lake Paravani, extending along both banks of the Paravani River. The village sits at about 2,020 metres above sea level, 22 kilometres from Ninotsminda. It is the centre of the Gandzani community, which also includes Saghamo.

The church's architecture

The church is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist and built of well-dressed reddish stones of different shapes. Its façades have no carved decoration, so the colour and arrangement of the masonry and the simple hall form define its appearance.

The entrance is on the south. Two windows, in the southern and eastern walls, light the interior. The documented concrete roof covering is visibly distinct from the older stone walls. Despite its modest size, the church forms an important part of the village's varied architectural heritage.

Nearby places

You can include Gandzani in a journey to Lake Saghamo and Saghamo Church. Continuing towards Paravani connects the visit with other monuments around Javakheti's lakes. Ask in the village about the approach to this particular church and access to its interior.