• Murkmeli Church of the Savior

  • Murkmeli Church of the Savior

  • Murkmeli Church of the Savior

  • Murkmeli Church of the Savior

  • Murkmeli Church of the Savior

Murkmeli Church of the Savior

This is a small single nave church, likely dating from the 11th–12th centuries, located in the village of Murqmeli, part of the Ushguli community. Its interior was once adorned with 12th-century murals.

Unfortunately, only the scenes on the western wall of Murqmeli’s murals have survived to the present day. The rest of the painted ensemble has been lost, with only minor and barely visible fragments remaining in a few parts of the interior. Nevertheless, the surviving scenes on the western wall are quite impressive and offer a vivid sense of the artistic value the church’s murals must have once possessed.

This impression is supported by the overall character of the figures, the emotional expressiveness of the faces, the stylistic handling of forms, and the use of relatively rare iconographic versions of certain scenes.

Intangible cultural heritage

Mevlud Charkseliani and his sons - Aluda and Onise - Ethnographic Museum in village Zhibiani

Mevlud Charkseliani is a woodcarver. He lives and works in Tetritskaro, where he makes wooden souvenirs and sells them at the ethnographic corner set up in his Machubi in Zhibiani, where old household items and his works are exhibited. Visits to the space are subject to a fee.

Beso Nizharadze, village Zibiani

Woodcarver Beso Nizharadze works on both traditional furniture and small souvenirs. He has a workshop where he conducts woodcarving master classes. He also owns a souvenir shop where his products can be purchased, a hotel and a cafe ("Café-Tower").

Gia Nizharadze - village Chazhashi

Woodcarver. Makes furniture and souvenirs. His works can be viewed and purchased at his cafe.