|
Ikalto Monastery The monastery complex of Ikalto, also spelled Iqalto, was the most important educational centre in eastern Georgia from the 11th to the 17th century. This educational institution, also known as the Academy of Ikalto, taught theology, philosophy, astronomy, rhetoric, law and mathematics. Oenology, pharmacology and blacksmithing were also taught. History of Ikalto Monastery Ikalto Monastery was founded in the 6th century by one of the 13 Syrian Fathers, Zenon Ikaltoeli. Over time, the monastery also took on the function of an educational establishment and at the end of the 11th century, the Ikalto Academy was opened here by order of King Dawit the Builder. The founder and first rector of the academy was one of the most famous Georgian theologians, Arsen Ikaltoeli. Scientific, spiritual, artistic and craft subjects were taught at the academy, and for centuries Ikalto held a leading position among educational institutions in the entire Caucasus region. In 1616, after a devastating invasion by the Persian Shah Abbas I, Ikalto monastery and academy were sacked, the rich library burned and the churches set on fire. The Ikalto Academy was abandoned that year and never reopened. However, the monastery and churches were partially rebuilt in later decades. Ikalto Monastery was long the burial place of the Makashvili dynasty, and the family's descendants financed much of the restoration work. In the 19th century, Prince Dimitri Makashvili had all three churches of the monastery thoroughly renovated and restored. In 1921 the monastery was closed by the Bolsheviks and all religious services were forbidden. During this time many valuable books, icons and the bells of the main church were lost. In 1965, after great efforts by the Georgian Adult Education Centre (Sakhalkho Universiteti), a museum was opened in the main church of the monastery. In 1991, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, two of Ikalto's churches, the Ghvtaeba and Sameba monasteries, were re-consecrated and regular services have been held since then. Since 2008, renovation, restoration, conservation and excavation work has been carried out at the Ikalto Monastery on the initiative of the Georgian mobile phone company Geocell. Monastery complex 1. Church of the Transfiguration 8th-9th c. Church of the Transfiguration, dedicated to the Holy Spirit, 8th-9th century The main church of the monastery is a cross-domed church dedicated to the Transfiguration of Jesus, also known as "Ghvtaeba" (Deity), and is the largest building on the monastery grounds. It was built in the 8th-9th centuries on the site of an old church where the founder of the monastery, Zenon, was buried. Originally the main church was a three-nave basilica, but during the restoration in the 18th century a dome was added. Two-level Holy Trinity Church (Sameba), 6th century The Church of the Holy Trinity (Sameba) is a two-storey building with stone steps on the outside and stands behind the main church on the north-east side. Although the church has been extensively restored, altering its original appearance, parts of the 6th century dome are still well preserved. There is a monk's cell on the second floor of the church. Single-nave Basilica The small chapel in the form of a basilica stands on the south side of the main church and was built between the 12th and 13th centuries. The Academy Building There was already a school on this site in the 8th century, which was enlarged and turned into an academy at the end of the 11th century. 700 students could study here at any one time, but today only the outer walls of the once outstanding Ikalto Academy remain, although it is still possible to understand to some extent how the building was designed. The building of the Ikalto Academy had an oblong shape (24.5 x 9 metres) and consisted of two floors. On the first floor there were several rooms for lectures and practical classes. In one large room, the foundations of the main stone pillar that supported the second floor can still be seen. The huge fireplace in the same room is also well preserved. On the second floor there was a large hall for meetings and joint lectures. On the interior walls of the academy, you can still see the traces of the fire that destroyed it in 1616. The Wine Cellar There are two wine cellars in Ikalto Monastery: the first is relatively small and was probably built for educational purposes. The building stands to the east of the Academy, where isolated Qwewri (wine amphorae) dug into the ground can still be seen. The main wine cellar is in the courtyard of the monastery and both the remains of the building and the underground wine amphorae (Qwewri) are better preserved here than in the small wine cellar. The winepress On the wall of the main cellar, on the eastern side, there is a huge wine press with arched openings, made of river stone. The press has two compartments of equal size and the grape juice pressed there was put into amphorae for fermentation. Other buildings in the monastery The foundations of several functional buildings, such as workshops and storerooms, can be seen on the monastery grounds, especially on the rear, eastern side. The village of Ikalto Ikalto is a medium-sized village in Kakheti with a population of around 2000, located about 7 kilometres from Telavi. Ikalto Monastery is located in the upper part of the village, at the end of a tarmac road leading up the mountain. |
