Mashvera St. Giorgi Church

The church is located in Dmanisi region, on the right bank of Mashvera river, west from the village, on rocky cape (coordinates: 41.205900 44.215375). It stands on the artificially flattened rock and has one-stair socle. The monument is built of roughly cut basalt, the corners and constructions are arranged with clean-cut stones. The only door with large architrave on the top is arranged in the south wall. Three windows are in the east, west and south walls. Pair of smooth shafts follows the opening of the east window. On the rib of double-pitch roof of the west façade the bell-tower’s arbour supported by four round columns, stand.

In the interior the vault of the church is divided into two parts by one load-bearing arch supported by pilasters and two stairs are arranged for ascending on it in the south and west ends. In the west section of the north wall, adjoining the pilaster. Profiled stone baptismal font stands close to the wall; it has a base, a support, widening to the top and a basin with semi-circular layout. Two smooth shafts follow the edge of the basin.

The fragments of khachkars of the late Middle Ages, Armenian-made blooming crosses are included in the church walls.

In old times Mashavera village was called Gorinjuk or Gorunjuk. It was given to Hasanbeg Baratashvili by King Rostom in 1633 as a residence. This village is also mentioned in historical document of the XVIII c. The lower layer of St. Giorgi church, assembly, dates back to advanced Middle Ages. Georgian monophysites, living there, repaired the church in the XVIII c.; old Georgian church stones are used for restoration.