View source for Kintsvisi Monastery

{{Short description|Medieval Georgian monastery}}
{{Infobox religious building
| building_name=Kintsvisi Monastery <br/> <small> ყინწვისის მონასტერი {{in lang|ka}}</small>
| image=Kintsvisi Monastery By Abramia.JPG
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| location= [[Kintsvisi, Georgia|Kintsvisi]], [[Shida Kartli]] Province ([[Mkhare]]), {{flag|Georgia}} 
| geo = {{coord|41.9605331|N|43.8343085|E|source:kolossus-ruwiki|display=inline,title}}
| religious_affiliation=[[Georgian Orthodox Church|Georgian Orthodox]]
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| architecture_type= [[Church (building)|Church]]
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| year_completed= 13th century
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| designation1            = Immovable Cultural Monument of National Significance of Georgia
| designation1_offname    = Kintsvisi Complex
| designation1_type       = 
| designation1_criteria   = 
| designation1_date       = {{start date and age|2006|11|07}}
| designation1_partof     = 
| designation1_number     = 2104
| designation1_free1name  = Item Number in Cultural Heritage Portal
| designation1_free1value = [https://memkvidreoba.gov.ge/objects/immovable/immovableObject?id=10644 10644]
| designation1_free2name  = Date of entry in the registry
| designation1_free2value = {{start date and age|2007|10|03}}
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}}

'''Kintsvisi Monastery''' ({{Lang-ka|ყინწვისი}}, {{lang|ka-Latn|Qinc'visi}}) is a [[Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church|Georgian Orthodox]] [[monastery]] in the [[Shida Kartli]] [[Mkhare|region]], eastern [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], 10 kilometers from the town [[Kareli, Georgia|Kareli]], on a forested slope of a high mountain of the Dzama valley. Its main church is an exceptional example of a brick church from the [[Georgian Golden Age]] period. The monumental mural is one of the largest among the [[Medieval Georgia|Medieval Georgian]] artistic ensembles.

==History==
The Kintsvisi Monastery complex consists of three churches, of uncertain origin. The central (main) central church dedicated to [[St Nicholas]] is thought to date to the early 13th century, in what is generally regarded as the [[Georgian Golden Age]]. Its dating was possible due to the presence on the murals of the figures of three Georgian kings of that period. A very small chapel standing next to it is dedicated to [[St George]], and dates from around the same time.

The oldest church, dedicated to [[Virgin Mary|St Mary]] dates from the 10-11th centuries, but is mostly in ruins.

In the 15th century the main church [[narthex]] was rebuilt by the local prince [[Zaza Panaskerteli-Tsitsishvili|Zaza Panaskerteli]]. Its internal space was divided into three parts and decorated by [[Fresco|frescoes]]. Among them also the unique depiction of Zaza himself.  

The site is currently listed by the [[World Monuments Fund]] as a field project.

==Architecture==
[[File:Ангел. Фрагмент фрески храма Кинцвиси. Конец 12 - начало 13 вв.jpg|thumb|170px|right|"Kintsvisi [[Angel]]", complete with scarce and expensive [[Ultramarine|''natural ultramarine'']] paint, evidences increasing sophistication and resources of Georgian masters following the reign of [[George III of Georgia|George III]].]]

The main church is a large inscribed-cross domed [[brick]] building which houses unique examples of medieval [[mural]] art from the early 13th century. Made of red brick, the church is harmoniously fit into the surrounding mountainous, forested landscape. This building material was not commonly used for construction in that period, representing exceptional case for the beginning of the 13th century. The dome was also originally covered in three-colored [[roof tiles]]. Its [[tholobate]] has 12 windows.

Though the internal space is cross-shaped, the church is rectangular in general plan. The only altar is flanked by a [[prothesis (altar)|prothesis]] and a [[sacristy]]. High semicircular arches connect the lateral naves with the western arm. The [[narthex]] has two floors, with the lower floor being the portal and the lower the [[choir (architecture)|choir]]. The portal has been later divided into three parts.

The church facades originally lack any decorations. They are present only in form of window arches on the dome [[tholobate]], also made of special bricks.

Except for the main church the monastery territory contains other buildings of different age and preservation, surrounded by the ruins of the common wall. Among the ruins, the bell tower, included into the northern wall, and two [[hall church|hall churches]] can be recognized. The smaller St. George's Church, standing close to the western facade, is in rather good condition. From the larger St. Mary's Church, standing in the north-west part of the area, only the [[apse]] with frescoes remains.

==Murals==
The interior is well-illuminated from the windows in the [[tholobate]] and in each arm of the cross. Original frescoes entirely covered the walls. In spite of being damaged, Kintsvisi murals are still among the largest and well-preserved Georgian Medieval wall paintings. In the central position of the [[cupola]] is the [[Hodegetria]] flanked by the [[archangel]]s [[Michael (archangel)|Michael]] and [[Gabriel]]. At the central part of cupola arch is an expressed cross as a medallion. Medallions with the [[Four Evangelists]] adorn the [[pendentive]]s. Images of archangels are repeated on south and west walls of the church. Scenes from the [[New Testament]] are presented on north walls, as are portraits of Georgian kings, [[George III of Georgia|Giorgi III]], [[Tamar of Georgia|Tamar]] and [[George IV of Georgia|Giorgi IV Lasha]]. 

Particularly remarkable is the figure of a sitting angel (the so-called “Kintsvisi Archangel”) from the [[Resurrection]] composition pointing at the open [[sarcophagus]] in a gracious manner, represented above the kings' figures, between two windows. The expressive bending of the head, the wing movement, soft drawing of the angel's shoulders are accompanied by the fine linear decorations of the blue clothes on blue background.

The eastern side contains the figure of [[Mary, mother of Jesus|Mary]] with [[Jesus]] in hands in the [[semi-dome|conch]], the [[Eucharist]] in the [[bema]] and the church fathers, walking from to the bema from two sides, depicted in a three quarter turn on the [[apse]] wall. All the figures are  expressive and dynamic. These murals date to before 1205 and rank, due to the lavish use of [[lapis-lazuli]] to color their backgrounds, among the most beautiful paintings of that period.

These murals were ordered by Anton Gnolistavisdze, a local feudal magnate who served as a royal minister. His fresco with a model of a church in his hand is represented on the lower register of the south wall, along with a severely damaged cycle of images from the life of St Nicholas, and depictions of various Georgian saints.

The murals of the [[narthex]] are of a later date, and were painted by the order of a prominent person of the 15th century, Zaza Panaskerteli, whose portrait is represented here as well.

The church of the [[Virgin Mary]] also contains an enthroned [[Hodegetria]] with a Communion of the Apostles in its ruined [[apse]]. The walls of this church were presumably entirely painted in the same manner as the main church, but everything but the apse has collapsed into ruins down the side of the mountain.

== References ==
{{refbegin}}
*Abashidze, Irakli. Ed. ''Georgian Encyclopedia. Vol. IX.'' Tbilisi, Georgia: 1985.
*Amiranashvili, Shalva. ''History of Georgian Art.'' Khelovneba: Tbilisi, Georgia: 1961.
*Rosen, Roger. ''Georgia: A Sovereign Country of the Caucasus.'' Odyssey Publications: Hong Kong, 1999. {{ISBN|962-217-748-4}}
*Закарая, П. Памятники Восточной Грузии. Искусство, Москва: 1983, 376 с. [Zakaraya, P. Monuments of Eastern Georgia](In Russian)
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Kintsvisi Monastery}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080129101739/http://www.geocities.com/kintvisi/index.htm Kintsvisi Monastery]
*[http://www.parliament.ge/~lika/ancient/qintsvisi/qintsvisi_show.htm Georgian government site]
*[http://expo.khi.fi.it/gallery/georgia/katli/kintsvisi Max Planck Institute]
{{Georgian Churches}}

[[Category:Georgian Orthodox monasteries]]