Ikorti Temple

Ikorti Temple is located in Shida Kartli Region, Gori Municipality, on the outskirts of the Ikorti Village (It has been occupied by Russia since 2008). The monument dates back to the XII century. There was a monastery here in the Middle Ages, but no information has been preserved about the founding of the monastery. According to historical sources, the monastery and this site have belonged to the Ksani Eristavi since the late centuries. They have turned this place into a fortress. The church was surrounded by a fence with rectangular towers at the corners of the east side. To the west, the elevated place was occupied by a rather difficult citadel. The fence has not reached us, only the ruins of 4-5 meters high of the south-east tower are preserved. The citadel is very damaged. Inscriptions are preserved on the facades of the temple, on which the names of the founders and the date of construction of the church - 1172 - are read. The leaders of the Kakheti uprising of 1659 - Bidzina Cholokashvili, Elizbar and Shalva Eristavi are buried in the Ikorti temple. They were tortured to death in Iran, and a few years later their remains were secretly carried to Ikorti. Ikorti Church has a special place in the history of Georgian architecture. It is distinguished by luxurious carvings and high mastery of execution. The church belongs to the group of domed temples, in which the canonical face of the Georgian domed church was finally developed. After the Russian-Georgian war in 2008, the Ikorti Village and this beautiful temple also became part of the Russian Occupied Territories. After the Russian-Georgian war in 2008, Ikorti Village and this beautiful temple also became part of the Russian Occupied Territories.

Architecture

Ikorti Temple is a cross-type central domed building. The church has a gate to the west, which dates back to a later period. The interior space is quite complex. The shapes are neat, the lines harmoniously follow each other. The composition is designed so that every detail strives to the dome. The main space of the temple is created by the walls erected on the outline of the cross. The arms of the cross are apse-shaped to the east, and the rest are rectangular. The dome leans on the ledge of the eastern altar and the western pylons. The apse is made of conch, the rest of the cross arms are covered with arches. On the second floor there is a choir. The interior is illuminated by windows cut into the dome and cross arms. The temple was completely painted, although the frescoes are very damaged and only small fragments remain. The main element of the adornment of all four facades of the building is the arch system. Each side is characterized by individual niches. The focus of the adornment of the eastern facade of Ikorti is shifted to the central axis. Everything here is connected to a high window, the cross, the window and the rhombuses are derived from each other. The niches are decorated with festons on the arches. The neck of the dome is cylindrical in shape and has twelve windows. The windows are surrounded by a wide ornamental edging and are framed with continuous arches. Base and imposte pilasters are decorated in a variety of ways. On all four sides of the church there are models of the late period church. Ikorti Temple, with its high artistic value and quality of performance, is one of the most excellent and fascinating examples of Georgian architecture.