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Rkoni Monastery The monastery complex of Rkoni is another highlight of the Shida-Kartli region. The oldest parts of the monument date back to the 7th century and are relatively well preserved. The monastery impresses visitors with its architectural diversity and richly decorated church facades, as well as its picturesque location in the valley of the Tedzami River. This description also includes information about the Rkoni Fortress. Monastery complex of Rkoni 1. Main church dedicated to the Virgin Mary 7th-13th c. Monastery's Main Church, Gate and Small Basilica The three-nave basilica dedicated to the Virgin Mary, dating from the 7th century, is the oldest monument in the monastery complex and measures 18.2 x 12.1 metres in plan. Over the centuries, the church has been damaged and restored several times, but the 7th-century parts of the church can still be clearly seen on the eastern side, as well as in the lower part of the church. The main church has three entrances, with the main entrance to the west, through the gate that was added later. The paintings inside the church date from different periods and are only partially preserved. The oldest fresco, from the 10th century, is in the southern part of the main western entrance. It depicts a person, possibly one of the founders of the church. Fragments from the 12th century can be seen in the central room and in the sacristy, and fragments of frescoes from the 17th century are also preserved in the proscomody room (to the left of the altar). The entrance door (3.8 x 9.5 m) was added to the church from the west in the 13th century and is richly decorated on the façades and roof. Small basilica (5.8 x 3.6 m.), originally intended as a separate prayer room, also dates from the 13th century and is built against the south wall of the main church. The basilica has a narrow entrance from the west and 3 small windows to the east, south and west. Frescoes from the 13th and 14th centuries have been preserved in the basilica, although they are badly damaged. The facades of the small basilica are decorated with ornaments. Church of St John the Baptist The third church in the complex is dedicated to St John the Baptist and stands to the south of the main church, about 7 metres away. It dates from the 13th-14th centuries and is architecturally a basilica measuring 7.3 by 4.3 metres. The church is built of yellow sandstone and has an entrance on the west side. The façades of the church are richly decorated, especially the east façade, which has a decorated window and a cross on top of it. Later, probably in the 15th century, the entrance door measuring 4.5 x 4.8 metres was added to the west side. Bell Tower The two-storey bell tower (5.1 x 5.1 m) stands to the north-west, about 2 metres from the main church, and dates from the 17th-18th centuries. The lower part of the bell tower is much wider than the upper part and is built of river and natural stone. The entrance to the bell tower is on the south side. The interior of the first floor was painted, but only fragments of the frescoes have survived, which are difficult to identify. The second floor, mainly in brick, is accessed by a stone staircase from the west and has 8 large open windows. Refectory The refectory stands about 10 metres north-west of the main church and dates from the 13th-14th centuries. The building is made of river stone and has a ground plan of 5.2 by 16.6 metres. Tamara Bridge The arched bridge dates from the 12th-13th centuries and is dedicated to Queen Tamara. The bridge is 12.5 metres long, 2.2 metres wide and spans the Tedzami River at a height of 7.6 metres. It connected a road from Shida Kartli to Trialeti. The Tower of Symeon the Wonderworker (15th century) The tower is located about 400 metres southwest of the main church, on a rather steep hillside. To reach the tower, you have to cross the bridge and climb up a narrow path. The tower is built of river stone and has 3 floors. The first floor is partly underground and was intended as a storage room. The second floor had the function of a living room or bedroom. The third floor was the prayer room and had frescoes on the walls, which today are only preserved in fragments. Symeon the Wonderworker, also called Symeon the Stylite, was a Syrian columned saint of the 6th century. Although he never visited Georgia himself, he is a canonised saint of the Orthodox Church and several places are dedicated to him in Georgia. Cells for the monks On the hillside there are single-storey cells for the monks. Other rooms and remains of buildings are difficult to discern. The fortress of Rkoni Between the monastery complex and the former village of Rkoni, on the slope of the mountain is the fortress complex known as the Fortress of Rkoni. The crenellated wall dates from the 18th century and is largely intact. The zigzag wall is 5 metres high and the embrasures on the top of the wall are still clearly visible. The tower (18th century) stands to the south-east on the highest point of the fort, leaning partly against the rock and partly against the wall. The lookout tower (18th century) stands about 30 metres from the fort on the top of the hill. The walls of three floors of the tower have been preserved. The entrance to the tower is on the second floor and there are windows on the first and third floors. Ruins of the Palace - Only the ruins of the former three-storey building remain. On the first floor with two doors there were fireplaces and storerooms, on the second floor there was a fireplace and on the third floor only the entrance remains. Church of the Rkoni Fortress The oldest part of the Rkoni fortress is a basilica from the 13th century. The church is very damaged, but you can still see the ornaments on the facades and fragments of 13th century frescoes. In 2006, the Rkoni Fortress received the status of a "cultural monument of national importance". Interesting facts about Rkoni The Rkoni monastery complex underwent two periods of restoration: in the first, in 1938-1939, only a part of the main church was roughly restored. In the second period, from 1972 to 1974, the refectory was rebuilt and the main church and the church of St John the Baptist were renovated. Among other things, the churches were covered with tin. In the 12th and 13th centuries, an important trade route passed through Rkoni to Trialeti and via Armenia to the Middle East. Another branch ran through Rkoni to the Tao-Klardschetien region and on to Byzantium. In the Middle Ages, copper and silver were mined near Rkoni. In a document signed by King Irakli II in the 18th century, gold was also mined in Rkoni. In the 14th century, Rkoni and the surrounding villages were destroyed by the Central Asian conqueror Temur Lenk. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Rkoni was a well-fortified and protected place and the families of nobles and kings were brought here for safety on several occasions. On the site of Rkoni, where there are now burial cells for monks and several service rooms, there must have been a medium-sized palace where the families of nobles and kings were also housed. In 1920 there was a strong earthquake in the region and the monastery complex of Rkoni was severely damaged. A new restoration of the monastery complex has begun in 2020 and we are all looking forward to seeing the renovated monastery complex. |
