Church of Bzyb

The Bzyb Church is a ruined medieval Christian church at the village of Bzyb in Abkhazia/Georgia, on the right bank of the Bzyb River. It is part of the Bzyb fortress complex and date to the latter half of the 9th century or 10th century.[1][2]

Ruins of the Bzyb church in 2006.

The church is a large domed cross-in-square design, with three projecting apses. Only the ruins of walls covered with blocks of hewn stone survive. They are located in the upper portion of the ruined fortress; the lower part was once crossed by an old road. The fortress was strategically placed to guard the Bzyb valley. To the east of the Bzyb church, remains of an older church are visible.[1] The church may have served as the seat of the Byzantine bishop of Soterioupolis.[2]

Georgia has inscribed the church on the list of Cultural Monuments of National Significance and reported an inadequate state of conservation.[1]

References
  1. Gelenava, Irakli, ed. (2015). Cultural Heritage in Abkhazia (PDF). Tbilisi: Meridiani. p. 22.
  2. Khroushkova, Liudmila (2006). Les monuments chrétiens de la côte orientale de la Mer Noire: Abkhazie, IVe-XIVe siècles. Brepols. p. 317. ISBN 2503523870.

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