Our two hour trip from the David Gareja Monastery Complex to our next destination of Sighnaghi took us north along similar countryside to that we had experienced on our forward journey; our gravel road interspersed with lonely relics of old Soviet buildings and a number of unlikely but curious small hotels. Again, small stone villages dotted the distant countryside. In the sheer remoteness of this vast untamed semi-desert, we wondered how anyone could eke out any sort of living. We again pondered over the treeless nature of the landscape. The area was certainly not above the tree line. Was it because it was semi-desert and had a very short growing season - or had it been cleared for farming? Keti said that evidence suggests the region was extensively cleared of its woodlands to use the timber to fuel the furnaces during the Iron Age. But that was some 1,000 BC. Surely, there had to be a lot of time for re-growth but perhaps it had just been kept clear?
Further in our travels north-east we passed through extensive agricultural countryside; the main industry being viticulture for which the Kakheti region is so famous. Stone fences and two storeyed houses so typical of the Georgian rural regions dominated the landscape. We then headed east toward the wine growing township of Manavi, famous for its yellow green dry white wines.
BODBE MONASTERY OF ST NINO - The Fate of an Impious Vandal
We arrived at the famous Bodbe Monastery around mid afternoon. Bodbe is a Georgian Orthodox monastic complex located some 2 kilometers from the township of Sighnaghe in the easternmost region of Kakheti, Georgia. Located on a beautiful high ridge, the complex boasts wonderful views of the splendid Alazani Valley. Originally built in the 9th century, it has been significantly revamped and now functions as a working nunnery. Bodbe houses the tomb of the 4th century female evangelist St Nino (refer entry "In the Presense of St Nino & Vano's Perfect Picnic") and because of this association, has become one of the most famous pilgrimage sites in Georgia.
The monastery was established in the 4th century by the then Iberian King Mirian III, following the death and burial of St.Nino circa 338-340 in Bodbe. King Mirian wanted to honour St Nino by transferring the relics of her grave to the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta, the ancient capital of Georgia where apparently the robe of Christ was buried. Another of the numerous miracles associated with St Nino occurred yet again when her body and its relics were attempted to be moved. Annals state that not even two hundred men could move the coffin from its place, resulting in the king ordering a small monastery to be built over her tomb in her final resting place of Bodbe.
Bodbe, over the centuries has endured mixed fortunes. In the late middle ages, the monastery gained particular prominence where it became a coronation place for Kakheti and Kartli Kings. Following its pillaging by the troops of Shah Abbas I of Persia, in 1615, Bodbe was restored by King Teimuraz I of Kakheti. A major theological school was opened in conjunction with the establishment of one of the largest depositories of religious books in Georgia. Bodbe became a major ecclesiastical and cultural centre in Georgia.
Following the annexation of Georgia by the Russian Empire in 1801, the Bodbe Monastery continued to flourish, enjoying the patronage of Tsar Alexander I of Russia. Following the Tsar's death however, the monastery was abolished and went into significant disrepair. In the 19th century Tsar Alexander III reopened the convent and established a convent with educational facilities.
Bodbe's fortunes were short lived and in 1924 the Soviet Government, in persecuting the Orthodox Church of Georgia, closed all monasteries including Bodbe. The monastery frescos were plastered over and the complex was converted into a hospital. During this time, St Nino's miracles again came to bear. The Bodbe Convent publication "Bodbe Convent", states:
"During the Communist period an impious person slashed the face of the icon of the Holy Mother of God several times. He was henceforth punished: being absolutely healthy he suddenly and unexpectedly lost his life."
Despite wars, earthquakes and significant alterations, Bodbe has somehow managed to survive. Today, the complex consists of a new tall Bell-tower, a Church above St Nino's tomb and the monastery premises which including cells, a refectory and workshops. A new and much larger Church of St George is still under construction in the convent grounds amongst the manicured gardens and tall Cypress trees. The nuns continue to grow and sell produce and make jewellery which is sold with various icons and publications in a small shop within the complex.
Unfortunately photography is strictly prohibited within the small church of the Convent which is richly decorated with frescos, some impressive icons and of course St Nino's tomb which is now covered with a marble memorial. For that reason, I am including scanned photographs from the convent publication.
The church retained however a certain peacefulness and a remarkable ambiance. Perhaps we were still in the presense of St Nino?
FROM SIGHNAGHE WITH LOVE.....
We arrived in Sighnaghi in the late afternoon and checked into our Kabadoni Hotel. Keti was probably tired herself, and we were more than happy to undertake a relaxed stroll through the interesting, narrow cobblestone streets and lane ways of Sighnaghi township.
Exhaustion is a topic rarely referred to in travel blogs but on talking with many travellers, it is a constant phenomenon which affects not only not-so-young people like ourselves, but almost anyone who travels. It is an occurrence which, although hard to ignore, is difficult to manage and can mean the difference between catching up with some much needed rest or kicking yourself because you have missed a site which you may never have the opportunity to visiting again. And sometimes, even if you do draw the energy to explore a site when you are tired, it is difficult to appreciate, let alone document for a travel blog entry. We had by then been travelling virtually non-stop for some 20 days and were beginning to feel the need to stop and take a deep breath before embarking on our impending travels into Azerbaijan the following day.
To say we were somewhat "churched out" by then, would be a gross understatement. Whilst our travels in Georgia had been fabulously interesting, we were wearying of tourist sites and without sounding like total heathens, we were over Christian churches for at least a while. A short walk from our Kabadoni Hotel down the back streets of Sighnaghi to the old fortress and
churches overlooking the Alazani Valley was about all we could manage.
Signaghi, also curiously known as "the city of love" (apparently named as such because it houses a wedding centre where people may get married at any time of the day) had a certain relaxed and almost laid back atmosphere. One of the country's smallest towns with a population of just over 2,000, Sighnaghi is famous for its wine production, traditional hand woven carpets, and historical sites and monuments. The township has now been ear marked as a potential tourist hub for the Kakheti region as a centre for wine production and wine festivals. It is also a very beautifully located town with some very fine historic sites.
Although Sighnaghi is known to have been settled since the Paleolithic Period, the township came into real prominence in the early 18th century when King Heraclius (aka King Erekle or Irakle) initiated the construction of the town and erected a fortress to defend the area from the ravaging attacks by Dagestan tribesmen known as the Lezgins. The township was protected by robust defensive walls intersected by 23 towers, each named after nearby villages and their respective families. At the time, Sighnaghi (a derivative of a Turkish word for "shelter") was inhabited by merchants and artisans and the many fortress gates are testament to its significance as a important trading centre on the Silk Road routes between Asia and Europe. Furthermore, the township was strategically located on a high ridge, some 790 meters above sea level on the slopes of the Tsiv-Gombori Range overlooking the fabulously beautiful landscape of the Alazani Plains and the Greater Caucasus mountains to the north.
The women selling hand-knitted woollen socks in the local markets were extremely friendly and it was difficult to decide from which stall to buy some socks for our wonderful, long suffering cat and house sitters back home in Australia. Deb and Ian live in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney and part the Great Dividing Range which runs parallel to the coast of New South Wales. Thick hand woven socks are not the sort of gift you would normally consider appropriate for our hot climate dwellers in Australia but we thought they would be perfect for Deb and Ian's cool climate village of Blackheath which experiences very cold winters and occasional snowfalls*.
Our scenic walk down to the fortress and Church of St George was very pleasant. Sighnaghi boasts some gorgeous typically Georgian homes and the scenery over the Alazani Valley and plains to the Greater Caucaus was truly lovely. To Keti's disappointment and our immense relief, the handsome stone Church of St George with its rather curious tower sprouting fuzzy weed growth was closed, so we happily settled for a short stop, some photo taking opportunities and a quiet stroll back to our hotel.
Our Kabadoni Hotel was very centrally located and comfortably appointed - and the staff was extremely friendly and helpful. The hotel foyer was however strangely situated in a cement bunker like location below the main building which was somewhat off putting as a first port of call to the hotel. We were disappointed also that our room did not have a view of the beautiful surrounds. Conversely, the restaurant boasts wonderful views of the Alazani Plains. Our meal choice of a local clay pot chicken meal however was very disappointing, more so we expect for poor Keti and Vano who had to put up with us reeking of garlic the following day!
CAT GOD PARENTS - DEB AND IAN
*Deb and Ian were wonderful house sitters and and cat minders, and had regularly
emailed us updates, mostly with photos of our beloved Siamese cats - for which we
were eternally grateful. To our relief, all cats and cat sitters were obviously enjoying eachother's company.
Bodbe Monastry: Resting Place of St Nino
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Sighnaghi, Kakheti, Georgia
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