Dranda Cathedral

Dranda Cathedral
Нанҳәа иазку Дранда-ныха
დრანდის ტაძარი

Dranda Cathedral
Basic information
Location Dranda, Gulripshi District,
 Georgia ( Abkhazia [1])
Affiliation Abkhazian Orthodox Church
District Gulripshi District
Region Caucasus
Status Until recently abandoned and a ruin, but has since been "restored".
Architectural description
Architectural type Radial
Architectural style Byzantine, Georgian; Cathedral[2]
Founder Possibly the Byzantine Emperor, Justinian I
Groundbreaking Unknown, possibly early-mid 6th century.
Completed Possibly 551

Dranda Cathedral (Abkhaz: Нанҳәа иазку Дранда-ныха, Georgian: დრანდის ტაძარი) is a Georgian Orthodox Cathedral located in Dranda, in the Gulripshi 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.

References

  1. ↑ 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.
  2. ↑ Mariam Didebulidze, Cultural Heritage of Abkhazia (Apkhazeti)
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Coordinates: 42°52′27″N 41°09′44″E / 42.87417°N 41.16222°E / 42.87417; 41.16222


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