Pitsunda Cathedral
| Pitsunda Cathedral ბიჭვინთის ტაძარი | |
|---|---|
Pitsunda Cathedral | |
  Shown within Georgia
| |
| Basic information | |
| Location | Pitsunda, Gagra district,  Georgia/ Abkhazia [1] |
| Geographic coordinates | 43°10′00″N 40°20′00″E / 43.166667°N 40.333333°ECoordinates: 43°10′00″N 40°20′00″E / 43.166667°N 40.333333°E |
| Affiliation | Abkhazian Orthodox Church |
| Region | Caucasus |
| District | Gagra District |
| Status | Active |
| Architectural description | |
| Architectural type | Triple-nave, domed cruciform plan |
| Architectural style | Georgian; Cathedral |
| Funded by | King Bagrat III of Georgia |
| Completed | Early 10th century |
| Specifications | |
| Dome(s) | 1 |
Pitsunda Cathedral (Georgian: ბიჭვინთის ტაძარი) is a Georgian Orthodox Cathedral located in Pitsunda, in the Gagra district of the de facto independent Republic of Abkhazia, internationally recognised to constitute a part of Georgia. The cathedral is currently used by the Abkhazian Orthodox Church and serves as that body's seat, although this usage is disputed by the Republic of Georgia and is considered irregular by the Eastern Orthodox communion.
Pitsunda Cathedral was built at the end of the 10th century by King Bagrat III of Georgia. It served as the seat of the Georgian Orthodox Catholicate of Abkhazia until the late 16th century when Abkhazia came under the Ottoman hegemony.
The cathedral contains vestiges of wall-painting from the 13th and the 16th centuries.
Gallery
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The Pitsunda Cathedral in 1847. Drawing by Grigory Gagarin
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Cathedral window
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Pitsunda Cathedral
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Cathedral dome frescoes
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Cathedral organ
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.