Sapara Monastery

Sapara sits on a narrow ledge in a wooded gorge east of Akhaltsikhe, a compact group of stone churches and monastic buildings with a bell tower, established early and greatly expanded when the Jaqeli family, rulers of this region, made it their monastery in the thirteenth century. The main church of Saint Saba was built around 1300 and retains a substantial cycle of wall painting from that period, including portraits of the family who paid for it, in an unusually good state for the region. Monks live there and the buildings are in use. The road out is rough and climbs steeply, and the setting, cliffs above and forest below, is a large part of the visit.

History

Sapara has existed since at least the 9th century and counted many important figures of the Georgian church among its monks. At the end of the 13th century it passed to the Jaqeli family, whose leader Sargis Jaqeli kept on good terms with the Mongols and so gave Samtskhe an unusual peace; in old age he became a monk under the name Saba, and his son Beka built the largest of the monastery's 12 churches, St Saba's, named after the saint whose name his father took, with fine 14th-century frescoes. From the end of the 16th century into the 17th the monastery stood empty as Ottoman rule spread into Samtskhe, and its icons and treasures were taken to safer parts of Georgia (Wikipedia, Sapara Monastery).

Highlights

• Frescoes in the church of Saint Saba - a cycle from around 1300.
• Donor portraits - the Jaqeli family painted in the church.
• Buildings on a gorge ledge - the compound stacked on its shelf.
• A working monastery - monks in residence and the churches in use.

When to go

April to October; the road is difficult in wet or icy weather. Two to three hours from Akhaltsikhe. Modest dress is required and women should cover their heads.

Good to know

The access road is rough and taxi drivers charge accordingly. It is a working monastery with rules on dress and photography that are enforced. Interiors are dim and the frescoes need patience to see. Facilities are minimal.

Nearby

Akhaltsikhe is west; Vardzia lies south.

Key facts