Khozhorni Domed Church

14.08.2013 15:58

Kjozhorni village is located in Marneuli municipality, by the side of left confluence of Debeda river – Banush Chai (according to Vakhushti – Khozhornis Khevi) (coordinates: 41.131549 44.411139). The domed church is located in half kilometer south-west from the village; there was the old location of Khozhorni village. The church is built of white crushed limestone. In the interior, in the walls of the church the fragments of old stone crosses are built in, on one of which Georgian Asomtavruli inscription of the VII c. is preserved. The most distinguished façade of the church is the east one; there is two-figure donators’ relief over its central window, accompanied with badly damaged Armenian inscription.

Based on the researches it was established that church wasn’t standing on Khozhorni territory in early Middle Ages. Only stone crosses were erected here; their style and the existence of Georgian inscription indicate that compact Georgian settlement existed there in earlier period. In the middle of the X c. Georgian donor built a domes church in Khozhorno for Georgian parish, which was destroyed either in the end of the X c. on in the beginning of the XI c. (assembly due to earthquake); by the end of the X c. these territories were included in Armenian state of Tashir-Dzoraget and restoration of the ruined church was initiated by the first representative of Mkhargrdzelis’ family Khosrov. He adopted Christianity, recognized Armenian-Gregorian belief; just Khosrov and Sanahin’s bishop are depicted on the east façade of the church. In the first half of the XIII c. the church was repeatedly repaired on the order of Shanshe Mkhargrdzeli. Works were performed in the church in the XV c. as well.

There is a hall church built of cut white limestone in the west from Khozhorni domed church; it was built in the XIII c.

Small hall church with collapsed vault is located in the east from the domed church.