This small single nave church, with an annex on the northern side, is located in the village of Chobani, part of the Tsvirmi community. The church was most likely built in the 12th century and painted during the same period.
Its wall paintings belong to the group of so-called “folk-style” murals of the 12th century. It is important to highlight that this early category of folk-style mural painting survives only in Svaneti, making these ensembles particularly valuable in the broader history of Georgian wall painting.
Although the murals are now heavily damaged, their main characteristics remain discernible. Notable is the limited number of feast scenes used to compose the church’s iconographic program, all unified around a general Theophanic (manifestation of the divine) concept. Also characteristic is the “carpet-like” layout of the paintings across the entire interior—a typical feature of this stylistic group.
The church’s patron saint, St. George, is emphasized through the depiction of the torture on the wheel (with the spiked cartwheel) and a heraldic composition of warrior saints—themes deeply rooted in local Svan tradition.
A particularly striking feature is the portrait of the church’s donor, a nobleman from Svaneti, which has been preserved within the mural cycle. Unfortunately, his identity cannot be definitively determined due to the severe damage to the accompanying inscription, which was once fairly extensive. Various theories have been proposed in academic literature regarding the identity of this patron and the commissioner of the paintings.
Useful information
| Location | The church is located in the center of village |
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| key Holder | The key is kept at Sergo Pirtskheliani family |
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