Dranda Cathedral
| Dranda Cathedral დრანდის ტაძარი | |
|---|---|
Dranda Cathedral | |
| Basic information | |
| Location | Dranda, Gulripsh District, Georgia ( Abkhazia [1]) |
| Affiliation | Georgian Orthodox Church |
| Region | Caucasus |
| District | Gulripsh District |
| Status | Until recently abandoned and a ruin, but has since been "restored". |
| Architectural description | |
| Architectural type | Radial |
| Architectural style | Georgian; Cathedral |
| Founder | Possibly the Byzantine Emperor, Justinian I |
| Groundbreaking | Unknown, possibly early-mid 6th century. |
| Completed | Possibly 551 |
Dranda Cathedral (Georgian: დრანდის ტაძარი) is a Georgian Orthodox Cathedral located in Dranda, in the Gulripsh district of the de facto independent Republic of Abkhazia, internationally recognised to constitute a part of Georgia.
According to the Roman historian Procopius of Caesarea, in 551 emperor Justinian I built a temple in these environs, this is believed by some to have been what is now the cathedral in Dranda. In the Georgian Orthodox Catholicate of Abkhazia, Dranda was the seat of a Bishop.
There has been some restoration on the exterior walls of the structure and roof, covering with stucco much of the original brick architecture that was once visible. Small portions may still be seen in what was intentionally left untouched.
Gallery
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Close-up of the exterior wall.
External references
References
- ↑ Abkhazia's status is disputed. It considers itself to be an independent state, but this is recognised by only a few other countries. The Georgian government and most of the world's other states consider Abkhazia de jure a part of Georgia's territory. In Georgia's official subdivision it is an autonomous republic, whose government sits in exile in Tbilisi.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dranda Cathedral. |
Coordinates: 42°52′27″N 41°09′44″E / 42.87417°N 41.16222°E