Otsindale Church

The Otsindale Church of St. George is located in the Taia village, in the Chkhorotsku Municipality, Samegrelo. It dates back to the 11th century. According to materials published in the 19th century, the reconstruction of the church took place during the reign of Queen Tamar - there even was an inscription on the temple confirming the fact. The Otsindale Church has been an important religious center for centuries. People from all over Samegrelo gathered here to celebrate Giorgoba - the feast of the martyrdom of Saint George. The temple is a hall-type building with an annex and a narthex in the north. The eastern and southern facades are decorated with arches. In the central southern arch, there is a rectangular entrance, above which a semicircular tympanum is situated. The hall is illuminated through one window on the east and west sides and two windows on the south side; window frames differ from each other in ornaments. The facades end with a fillet-shaped cornice. The narthex has a wide arched entrance framed by high niches. The church is made of well-hewn stone. Near the church, the ruins of a fortress are preserved, which, most likely, was built earlier than the temple.