Saghamo Church

Saghamo Church stands near the eastern shore of Lake Saghamo, in Ninotsminda Municipality, Samtskhe-Javakheti. At roughly 1,996 metres above sea level, the village brings together the lake's open landscape and medieval stone architecture.

The village and its churches

Three Georgian churches survive in Saghamo. The earliest is considered to be a substantial tenth-century hall church. The church described here, in the southern part of the village, is dated to the tenth–thirteenth centuries and is better preserved than the others. Since several monuments and different dates occur in descriptions of Saghamo, match the specific building to its map location and architectural features when visiting.

Grey and pink stones alternate across the façades. Carved decoration enriches the masonry, and traces of inscriptions in the Georgian Asomtavruli script can still be discerned. The combination of coloured stone, ornament and early lettering gives this small monument its character.

Older names and inscriptions

Lake Saghamo was also known as Dumagioli. Vakhushti Bagrationi's map marks a village named Duma beside the lake, preserving a reminder of the area's historical geography.

A stele from the lakeside area carries a dedicatory inscription to King David VII Ulu, who reigned in 1247–1270. It asks God to exalt and establish David, king of kings and sovereign of all the East and West. This inscription belongs to the wider historical setting of the lake and should not automatically be identified with lettering visible on the church façade.

Nearby places

Combine the church with a stop beside Lake Saghamo and a visit to Gandzani Church of Saint John the Baptist. Further along your journey, Lake Paravani offers another introduction to the region's landscape and heritage. Ask locally about access to the church interior.