anchiskhati basilica

A nice church in the old town of Tbilisi. There are other churches nearby but this one looks a bit older and more effective. Also I guess this church open till very late in the evening. So just enter here during your walk.

Here's what was interesting inside of this old lovely church. Not the modern ikons, nor any of the doo-dads. I loved watching the old ladies cleaning and scraping the wax off of everything. It made me realize how the old ways entail a lot of extra care and attention. In Portugal, in Notra Dame, and probably a lot of other places now, when you "light a candle" in memory, you drop the coin(s) in and an automatic electric light "candle" comes on for a specified amt. of time. No fuss, no muss. But here the old people are bent over various candle holders, picking and heating the wax off. Slowing down is good, a kind of meditation.

Beautiful interior in a tucked-away location. Please light a candle for your loved ones when you enter.

Visited a local bar across road and every hour about 20 tourists turned up to visit. Every hour the doors open and an old tbilisan come out and hammers the clock...totally unexpected. After 2/3 times it was boring. The church itself is small with little else to offer.

This sixth century church -- the oldest in Tbilisi does not have much in terms of iconography. All that was once valuable has been removed. It is probably worth a quick visit if you are in the area.

According to the old Georgian annals, the church was built by the King Dachi of Iberia (circa 522-534) who had made Tbilisi his capital. Originally dedicated to the Virgin Mary, it was renamed Anchiskhati (i.e., icon of Ancha) in 1675 when the treasured icon of the Savior created by the twelfth-century goldsmith Beka Opizari at the Ancha monastery in Klarjeti (in what is now part of northeast Turkey) was moved to Tbilisi so preserve it from an Ottoman invasion. The icon was preserved at the Basilica of St Mary for centuries (it is presently on display at the Art Museum of Georgia).The Anchiskhati Church, 1890The basilica was damaged and rebuilt on several occasions from the 15th through 17th centuries due to wars between Georgia and the Persians and Turks. The brick belfry near the Anchiskhati Basilica was built by Catholicos Domenti in 1675.The look of the structure was drastically changed in the 1870s, when a dome was added. During the Soviet period, all religious ceremonies at Anchiskhati Basilica were halted, and the building transformed into a museum for handicrafts. It was later used as an art studio. From 1958 to 1964 restoration works took place in celebration of the 1500th Jubilee of the founding of Tbilisi, which changed the view of the church back to the seventeenth-century version, however, it was not until 1991, after the independence of Georgia was restored, that the basilica reverted to religious use.The Anchiskhati Choir based out of the Anchiskhati Basilica is the world's leading exponent of Georgian polyphonic choral music.

We visited on a fairly quiet afternoon. The outside of the church is nice but the inside is really lovely and I would recommend going inside if you have time. I don't know if it's required but I did put a headscarf on as everyone else seemed to be wearing one to enter the church.

For those who love churches, I am one of them, this small church brings you an opportunity to have some rest when wandering through Old town

This ancient church is located next door to the Rezo Gabriadze Marionette Theater. Sitting at the window on the terrace of the Gabriadze Café one can see how local people stop and cross themselves in front of Anchiskhati. Make a few steps downstairs into the gate, and you will find Anchiskhati in a quiet courtyard. Go inside to enjoy its spiritual beauty.

If I understand correctly, this is the oldest standing church in Tbilisi, which alone makes it worth a visit. It gives you a real sense of the ancient nature of Christianity in this country.

I enjoy the Orthodox churches, even though I'm not one. If you haven't experienced the sights and colors of these chruches, they play a big part in the life and culture of the town. Drop in a few and stand quietly and just watch - no one will bother you if you are respectful.

Повезло попасть на вечернюю службу, мужской хор давно хотела услышать. Обязательна к посещению. Очень доброжелательные люди там.

Анчисхати на данный момент самый древний храм в Тбилиси, построенный еще в 6 веке. Гуляя по улочкам Тбилиси, обязательно стоит заглянуть в эту церковь. Стены буквально пропитаны древностью, находясь внутри ощущается огромная историчность этого места, даже если Вы не очень верующий, стоит посетить ее обязательно, с исторической и археологической точки зрения

Каменный храм 6 века. Только ради этого стоит посмотреть на это чудо. Реставрируется снаружи. Внутри можно помолиться и поставить свечи

In verschiedenen Reiseführern wird diese als älteste Kirche Georgiens bezeichnet. Ob das stimmt, kann man schwer nachkontrollieren, oder zumindest hat dies noch keiner angetan.Durch das hohe Alter und die knappe Kasse der georgischen Kirche leider etwas verfallen -dies gibt dem Gebäude aber auch eine gewisse mystische Atmosphäre.