Church of St. Lawrence the Martyr (Tiwi, Albay)

Posted on 30 April, 2015 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Church of St. Lawrence the Martyr

Tiwi’s present church, built in 1829, replaced the town’s original church which was built in 1776, by Franciscan Fr. Pedro de Brosas at the mouth of a site called Tuytoy (“bridge”) Swamps. The church was burned by Moro pirates and later abandoned due to its vulnerability to typhoon-induced tidal waves.

The centrally located, square bell tower and triangular pediment

AUTHOR’S NOTES:

The church’s dark, simple but charming façade is dominated by a centrally located, square bell tower, and it’s gently protruding, semicircular arched main entrance, flanked by coupled columns, is topped by a triangular pediment with a centrally located oculus.

Superpositioned coupled columns with pinnacles

Flanking the main entrance are two statued niches and another set of coupled columns capped by pointed pinnacles. The first level is separated from the triangular pediment by an entablature.

The modern church interior

Church of St. Lawrence the Martyr: San Lorenzo St., Sitio Basag, Brgy. Tigbi, 4513 Tiwi, Albay. Tel: (052) 488 5107. Feast of St. Lawrence the Martyr: August 10.

Mayor’s Office: Municipal Hall, Poblacion, 4513 Tiwi, Albay. Tel.: (052) 435-4866.

Sinimbahan Ruins (Tiwi, Albay)

Posted on 30 April, 2015 by Benjie Layug — 1 Comment ↓

Along the road opposite the town’s market, our media group made a stopover at the Sinimbahan Ruins, the roofless remains of Tiwi town’s original church which was built, in 1776, by Franciscan Fr. Pedro de Brosas at the mouth of a site called Tuytoy (“bridge”) Swamps, The church was burned by Moro pirates in 1846 and later abandoned due to its vulnerability to typhoon-induced tidal waves.

Sinimbahan Ruins

AUTHOR’S NOTES:

All that remains of this single-nave church are the crumbling volcanic stone walls, and the buttresses that support it, and the equally sorry-looking bell tower on the church’s left. The walls are heavily overgrown with foliage and enveloped by roots of banyan (locally called balete) trees which cling to the cracks and crevices of the walls, making the ruins look charming but, actually slowly destroying it.

A child lounging by a church window

Three remaining church buttresses

The interior walls once had a glass-encased, embedded niche which contained human bones but the glass and the bones have long disappeared. The niche seems to have been used as a grilling oven. Other walls, probably that of the adjoining convent, now form part of a pottery factory.

Remains of the bell tower

An attempt has been made to reuse it as a chapel, evidenced by the presence of a lava boulder altar and an image of the Blessed Virgin hanging on the wall but, probably when there are no services being held (or probably abandoned altogether), the interior is used for other purposes.

The lava rock altar

During our visit, a tricycle and an owner-type jeep were parked inside and a badminton net and a basketball backboard were also installed for recreation. There were no church pews or other furniture save for two loungers beside the shade-giving walls.

A balete tree slowly making the walls crumble

The niche that once contained human bones

The ruins is listed as a “tourist attraction” in the town but, from the looks of it, neglect, indifference and the corrosive effects of rain and wind will finish what tidal waves failed to totally destroy. I truly hope that plans for its restoration, similar to that done to the Bancurro Ruins in Naujan (Oriental Mindoro), are in the works.

Part of the church walls used by the pottery factory

A jeep and tricycle parked inside

Sinimbahan Ruins: Brgy. Baybay, 4513 Tiwi, Albay

Mayor’s Office: Municipal Hall, Poblacion, 4513 Tiwi, Albay. Tel.: (052) 435-4866.

Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (Tabaco City, Albay)

Posted on 30 April, 2015 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

First built by Franciscan Fr. Pedro de Alcareso in 1616, the present structure, built by secular clergy, was completed in a period of 16 years (1864-1879). The stately Baroque-style church was declared as a National Landmark on August 1, 1973 by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 260 and amended by Presidential Decree No. 1505 on June 11, 1978.

Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

The church was also one of the only two declared sites in Bicol Region that were categorized by the National Museum of the Philippines as a National Cultural Treasure of the country. Its marker was unveiled on June 22, 2012.

4-storey bell tower

Column pinnacle

The church, built with dark volcanic soil and stones found in the area, has an unusual floor plan with inexplicable compartments and walls with stones bearing mason marks, rarely seen in the Philippines. The beautiful bell tower, embedded with Rococo designs, has rocaille elements and a beautiful and unique tower clock.

The cathedral interior

City Mayor’s Office: Poblacion, Tabaco City 4511, Albay. Tel.: (052) 487-5200

How to Get There: Tabaco City is located 558 kms. from Manila and 21 kms. (a 45-minute drive) northeast of Legaspi City.

Church of St. John the Baptist (Camalig, Albay)

Posted on 29 April, 2015 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

First built, with wood and nipa, by Franciscan friars from 1579 to 1580, the second church, together with the “escuela Catolica,” was built with stone in 1605. This church was destroyed during the 1814 eruption of Mayon Volcano and was rebuilt with solid blocks of volcanic stones from Mayon Volcano, in 1837, by Fr. Francisco Latoba and Fr. Manuel Brihuega.

Church of St. John the Baptist

In 1845, Fr. Miguel Barcela built the church façade, the escuela Catolica and the bell tower. The church was finished in 1848. On November 1987, the church was damaged by super typhoon Sisang, (international name: Nina) losing its roof, ceiling and beams, but was subsequently repaired.

The church facade

AUTHOR’S NOTES:

The church’s first level has a semicircular arched main entrance flanked by superpositioned columns and niches with statues of St. Clare of Assisi and St. Peter the Baptist (San Pedro Bautista). The second level has rectangular windows of equal sizes. The triangular pediment, above it, has a centrally located niche with a statue of St. John the Baptist, above which is a small oculus. It is flanked by superpositioned columns and separated from the second level by an entablature.

Plaque installed by the National Historical Commission

The 4-storey, hexagonal bell tower, on the church’s left, has massive bells and a fine view of Mayon Volcano. During World War II, it served as a lookout for American troops searching for Japanese stragglers hiding in hillside caves.

The 4-storey, hexagonal bell tower

Inside the church is a ceiling painted with some images, chandeliers and burial niches, including a memorial stone honoring a resident who died at the age of 115 years (1797 to 1912). Its adjacent convent houses a small museum which displays some of the 2,000-year old bones, beadwork, potsherds and other artifacts found from Calabidong Cave.

The church interior

Mayor’s Office: Municipal Hall, Poblacion, Camalig, 4502, Albay. Tel.: (052) 484-1965

Municipal Tourism, Culture and Arts Office: Camalig Tourism and Pasalubong Center, Brgy. 2, Camalig, Albay. Mobile number: (0927) 621-3315. E-mail: camalig_tourism@yahoo.com.

Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office (PTCAO): Albay Tourism Bldg., Albay Astrodome Complex, Capt. F. Aquende Drive, 4500 Legaspi City, Albay. Tel: (052) 481-0250 and (052) 742-0242. E-mail: albaytourism@yahoo.com and albaytourism@gmail.com.

How to Get There: Camalig is located 539 kms. from Manila and 14 kms. northwest of Legaspi City.

Church of St. Francis Xavier (Nasugbu, Batangas)

Posted on 4 April, 2015 by Benjie Layug — 3 Comments ↓

Nasugbu’s Church of St. Francis Xavier is a relatively new edifice as much of its construction happened only during the 1990’s. The Nasugbu parish, once under the jurisdiction of the Parish of the Immaculate Conception in Balayan, underwent a sad and dark turn of events in the past. Its first chapel, as well as a convent for the parish priest, was built in Brgy. Looc.

Church of St. Francis Xavier

Later, the town transferred to its present location. In 1852, a church was dedicated to the Nuestra Seňora Virgen de le Escalera and St. Francis Xavier. In 1896, after the people of Nasugbu rose against the Spanish colonial regime, Spanish troops locked up almost 500 men, women and children inside the church and then set the church on fire.

The 4-storey bell tower

Another simple, wooden parish church was built on its present site. Eventually, the town’s growing population necessitated the construction of the much larger, present church which was started in the early 1990’s. During the Centennial Celebration of the Archdiocese of Lipa, the church was declared as a Pilgrimage Church.

Antique bell

AUTHOR’S NOTES:

The church has a Romanesque-style façade with a portico over the driveway supported by fluted columns with Corinthian capitals, on top of which is an entablature and a triangular pediment. The façade’s second level, also topped by a triangular pediment, has a large, centrally located rose window flanked by two smaller circular windows.

In front of the main entrance is the church’s antique bell, forged in Spain and bearing the king’s royal seal.

The church’s interior

The interior has a magnificent barrel vaulted ceiling painted in the trompe-l’œil style. The main altar, above which is a dome, features expensive hardwood carvings. It has an antique, larger-than-life restored crucifix. The Immaculate Conception is enthroned on the Gospel side while that of St. Joseph, the patron of Batangas, is placed on the Epistle side. Underneath an antique carving of the Most Blessed Holy Trinity is an image of St. Francis Xavier surmounting the top arch. The central focus of the magnificent altar is the Tabernacle of the Most Holy Sacrament. Beneath the altar of the church is an ossuarium.

Choir loft

The octagonal, 4-storey bell tower, on the church’s right, is topped by a cupola. It can be reached by 200 steps in 3 spiral stairways and two wooden ladders. On November 21, 2006, a whole set of 18 carillon bells (the biggest weighed 320 kilos while the smallest weighed 55 kilos) from Paccard-Fonderie de Cloches of Annecy in France, costing PhP4.4 million, were installed at the tower.

Main altar

The carillon plays in two musical scales of 18 bells, three are swinging big bells (moving to and fro and making sounds in each movement) and 15 are fixed (do not move and are struck by clappers outside), each producing a distinct tone set by its manufacturer in France. Thus, 18 bells mean 18 notes.

Trompe l’oeil ceiling

Church of St. Francis Xavier: J.P. Laurel St., Nasugbu, Batangas. Tel: (043) 931 – 5186.

Church of St. Vincent Ferrer (Dupax del Sur, Nueva Vizcaya)

Posted on 14 March, 2015 by Benjie Layug — 2 Comments ↓

After covering the Kalanguya Festival, Roel, Alex and I boarded our van for the 2-hour trip to the town of Dupax del Sur where we dropped by its Church of St. Vincent Ferrer, one of the oldest and biggest churches in North Luzon and the best-preserved church complex in Nueva Vizcaya. Here, we met up with parish priest Fr. Ferdinand E. Lopez.

Church of St. Vincent Ferrer – a National Cultural Treasure

Declared a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines in July 2001, this 18th-century church, under the advocation of Saint Vincent Ferrer (though its original titular patron was the Nuestra Señora del Socorro), is under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bayombong.

The 4-level, rectangular brick bell tower

Made of brick, lime, coral or river rock and wood plastered over with stucco, the church covers an area of 7,200 sq. m. and its architectural design is similar to that of St. Peter Cathedral in Tuguegarao City, only less in ornamentation and lower in height with no spiral columns and pilasters to offer support to the structure.

The semicircular arched main portal, embellished with clay insets

The present structure (an earlier church structure of modest design might have been erected before 1773), built by Dominican Fr. Manuel Corripio, OP with brick in 1776, mimics the silhouette of the earlier Tuguegarao Cathedral and is reflected on the churches of Bayombong and Bambang. During its construction, Fr. Corripio had two kilns made near the church complex, one for firing bricks and the other for preparing lime.

Window framed by embossed carvings

The Baroque-style façade, divided by cornices into horizontal segments of plastered brick, features a semicircular arched main portal, embellished with clay insets (representing symbols of the Dominican Order), and a main doorway flanked on both sides by two blind windows with an embossed image of the Holy Eucharist, all at the first level. The second level features a niche and two windows framed by embossed carvings.

Blind window with an embossed image of the Holy Eucharist

The entire triangular pediment, divided into two horizontal sections, is capped by undulating cornices and 7 finials, with the central finial crowned with a cross. The lower half is pierced by a deeply-recessed oculus while the upper part features a small relief of a cross.

The triangular pediment

To the right of the façade is the unplastered, 4-level, rectangular bell tower whose base features a niche with the statue of St. Vincent Ferrer, similar to that found on the second level of the façade. The tower’s second level features long, narrow windows framed with bracket columns. It is capped with a decorative parapet and a small cupola surmounted by a cross.

Niche with the statue of St. Vincent Ferrer at the bell tower

Long, narrow windows framed with bracket columns

Each level bears inscription of the years when it must have been completed. We climbed all the way to the top of the tower via a very narrow, dark and steep stairway. Two of the four bells were cast in 1858 and 1888. Up on the tower, we had a panoramic view of the whole town and the mountains of the Sierra Madre.

View of the town and mountains from the bell tower

Inside the church are two, white-washed narthex pillars, supporting the choir loft, embellished with finely-carved stucco reliefs of cherubs, shells, florals and arabesques. Similar motifs can also be found on the baptistery. The original main retablo (altar backdrop) and pulpit are still intact but the heads of the statues in the retablo are believed to be just reproductions of the ivory ones stolen over the course of the church’s history.

The church interior

White-washed narthex pillars embellished with finely-carved stucco reliefs

The 2-storey church convent, connected to the church, still retains slits on the outer walls for archers to defend against attacks and target marauders. The church plaza is enclosed by a low perimeter wall and a replica of an earlier atrial cross.

The similarly ornate carvings in the baptistery

Church of St. Vincent Ferrer: Aritao-Quirino Rd., Brgy. Dopaj, Dupax del Sur, 3707, Nueva Vizcaya. Tel: (078) 808 1016.

The church pulpit

How To Get There: Dupax del Norte is located 248.26 kms. from Manila and 26 kms. south of Bayombong.

Tsiminda Sameba Cathedral (Tbilisi, Georgia)

Posted on 4 December, 2014 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

The highlight of my walking tour of Tblisi, with Filipina expat Ruby Bebita, was my visit to the very majestic Tsiminda Sameba Cathedral, a ready-made photo op also known as the Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi. The main cathedral of the Georgian Orthodox Church, it is the third-tallest Eastern Orthodox cathedral in the world.

The author at Tsiminda Sameba Cathedral

The cathedral, in the historic neighborhood of Avlabari in Old Tbilisi, was erected on Elia (St. Elijah) Hill, which rises above the left bank of the Kura River (Mtkvari). Getting there involved a steep, uphill climb.

Ruby sitting at the steps leading to the cathedral

Though it has some Byzantine undertones, it was built in the traditional Georgian tetrahedron style of architecture, a synthesis of traditional styles which, at various stages in history, have dominated Classic Georgian church architecture. The Sameba complex consists of the main cathedral church, a free-standing bell tower, the Patriarch’s residence, a monastery, a clerical seminary, theological academy, several workshops, places for rest, etc.

The cathedral grounds with the bell tower on the right

A winning design of Architect Archil Mindiashvili, the main cathedral’s construction was mostly sponsored by anonymous donations from several businessmen as well as common citizens. The foundation of the new cathedral was laid on November 23, 1995. Nine years later, on November 23, 2004 (St. George’s Day), in a ceremony attended by leaders of other religious and confessional communities in Georgia as well as by political leaders, the cathedral was consecrated by Ilia II, the Catholicos Patriarch of Georgia, as well as high-ranking representatives of fellow Orthodox churches of the world.

The cathedral interior

The breathtaking cathedral’s exaggerated vertical emphasis is regarded as an eyesore by many but venerated by as many others. The cathedral has a cruciform plan. Its golden dome, over a crossing, rests on 8 columns and is surmounted by a 7.5 m. high, gold covered cross. The dome’s parameters, independent from the apses, imparts a more monumental look to the dome, and the cathedral in general.

The cathedral’s dome

This cathedral consists of 9 chapels (the chapels of the Archangels, John the Baptist, Saint Nino, Saint George, Saint Nicholas, the Twelve Apostles, and All Saints); 5 of which are situated in a large, underground compartment. The cathedral, measuring 56 m. by 44 m., has an overall area (including its large narthex) of 5,000 sq. m., a volume of 137 cu. m. and an interior area of 2,380 sq. m. (it can accommodate 15,000 people). Its height, from ground level to the top of the cross, is 105,5 m.. The 13 m. high underground chapel occupies 35,550 cu. m..

The model of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem

Natural materials were used for its construction. Marble tiles were utilized for the floor and the altar was decorated with mosaic. Its murals were executed by a group of artists guided by Amiran Goglidze. Though still without frescoes, many of the icons that adorn the walls are stunningly beautiful and the doors are carved with very beautiful images of the saints. There’s also a model of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Its free-standing, adjacent bell tower is also as grand as the cathedral itself. The well kept and tidy grounds are adorned with beautiful, well-manicured lawns, grass and colorful varieties of flowers

One of the cathedral’s nine chapels

Though it lacks the charm of the traditional and historical churches, this lovely, really big and new cathedral is still grand in its modesty and spiritual. Seen from almost every view point in Tbilisi, it was built by sacrifice and determination. Truly, it deserves more than a visit. As it sits high up atop a hill, it also has a fantastic view of the city and is also beautiful to behold at night when it is bathed with state-of-the-art spotlights. The cathedral is especially packed with worshipers on Saturday nights, Sunday mornings and feast days.

How To Get There: The neighborhood is served by the Avlabari Metro Station.

Qatar Airways has daily flights from Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (Clark, Pampanga) to Tbilisi (Republic of Georgia) with stopovers at Hamad International Airport (Doha, Qatar, 15 hrs.) and Heydar Aliyev International Airport (Baku, Azerbaijan, 1 hr.). Website: www.qatarairways.com.

The Monastery of St. Nino at Bodbe (Sighnaghi, Georgia)

Posted on 1 December, 2014 by Benjie Layug — 2 Comments ↓

Just 2 kms. from the town of Sighnaghi, we made another stopover at the Monastery of St. Nino at Bobde, one of the major pilgrimage sites in Georgia as it is the burial place of the revered St. Nino. A 4th-century female evangelist of Georgians, she is credited with the conversion of the ancient East Georgian Kingdom of Iberia (and Armenia by some accounts) to the Orthodox Christian faith. She withdrew to the Bodbe Gorge, in Kakheti, and died there around 338-340 AD. At the behest of Iberian King Mirian III (reign: 284-361 AD), a small monastery was built at the place where St. Nino was buried.

The monastery church

The monastery gate

During the late Middle Ages, the monastery gained particular prominence when it was favored by the kings of Kakheti who chose it as the place of their coronation. In 1615, the Bodbe monastery was pillaged by troops of Shah Abbas I of Persia but was restored by King Teimuraz I of Kakheti (reign: 1605-1648). With the revival of monastic life in Bodbe, a theological school was opened and the monastery also operated one of the largest depositories of religious books in Georgia and was home to several religious writers and scribes.

The well-kept garden with cypress trees

Under Metropolitan John Maqashvili, Bodbe monastery continued to flourish even after the annexation of Georgia by the Russian Empire (1801), enjoying the patronage of Tsar Alexander I of Russia. In 1823, the monastery was repaired and adorned with murals. However, upon John’s death in 1837, the Russian Orthodox exarchate, active in Georgia since 1810, abolished the convent and converted it into a parish church. The monastery went into disrepair in the following decades but, in the 1860s, Archimandrite Macarius (Batatashvili) began to restore the monastery and established a chanting school.

The cobble stone walkway

In the 1880s, Mikhail Sabinin refurbished the chapel housing St. Nino’s relics. In 1889, Tsar Alexander III of Russia visited Bodbe and decreed to open a nunnery there. The resurrected convent operated a school where needlework and painting was taught but, in 1924, the Soviet government closed down the monastery and converted it into a hospital. In 1991, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Bodbe monastery was resumed as a convent. Between 1990 and 2000, restoration works were carried out. In 2003, restoration was resumed when part of the 17th-century wall surrounding the basilica was demolished and the earlier, original one restored.

The church entrance

Today, the monastery, nestled among tall cypress trees on a steep hillside overlooking the Alazani Valley, is very well set up to the handle the thousands of visitors it receives each year. Just outside the gates is a complex with amenities such as parking, a restaurant run by the nuns, and clean restrooms.

The bell tower (photo: Ms. Riva Galveztan)

Once inside the gate, we were welcomed by lovely, well-kept and peaceful gardens and orchards. I instantly felt relaxed as we walked its smooth stone walkways surrounded by its peaceful beauty. In spite of our arrival, the nuns we saw still went about their daily business and devotions. The first structure that greets you is the free-standing, 3-storey bell-tower which was erected between 1862 and 1885.

A grave beside a side entrance

Adjacent to the tower is the extant church, a 3-nave aisled basilica with 3 protruding apses. Originally built between the 9th and 11th centuries, it had been significantly modified and restored, especially in the 17th and 19th centuries when both exterior and interior walls were plastered. Integrated within the basilica is a small hall church with an apse built over St. Nino’s grave. Photography wasn’t allowed inside and strict dress code is observed. The church is richly decorated with frescoes and there are a few impressive icons in it. The tomb of St. Nino is covered with a marble memorial.

The Gift Shop (photo: Ms. Riva Galveztan)

Items on sale at the Gift Shop (photo: Ms. Riva Galveztan)

At the back of the church is a viewpoint with a spectacular view of the Alazani Valley beneath us and, as it was a fine, clear day, the snow-clad Greater Caucasus mountains beyond. Quite enchanting. We also visited the nice gift shop which has religious and cultural items (icons, prayer ropes, books, local Georgian crafts, postcards, candles, trinkets, etc.) on sale. Here, I bought a beautiful watercolor painting of St. Nino (not an iconic painting but a modern painting) as well as one of Emperor Constantine and St. Helena together. I left these with Buddy, who had it blessed inside the basilica, together with those he bought.

The author at the view point (photo: Ms. Riva Galveztan)

I noticed a sign pointing us to the direction of St. Nino’s Spring which is some 3 kms. from the convent. To get there, we would have to hike steeply down some 600 odd steps (with occasional landings with benches) that wind its way through pleasant woodland. Too bad we didn’t have time to do so. In the 1990s, the small Chapel of St. Zabulon and St. Sosana was constructed to house the spring, which is believed to have magical curative properties. According to a local legend, the spring emerged through Nino’s prayers.

The snow-clad Greater Caucasus Mountains

I truly appreciated our visit to this very tranquil and restful place, probably the most dramatic monastery in the country. With its divine atmosphere, it is certainly worth a long stopover.

The monastery’s orchards

Georgia National Tourism Administration: 4, Sanapiro St, 0105, Tbilisi, Georgia. Tel: +995 32 43 69 99. E-mail: info@gnta.ge. Website: www.georgia.travel; www.gnta.ge.

Gergeti Trinity Church (Stepantsminda, Georgia)

Posted on 30 November, 2014 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

After our lunch at the Rooms Hotel in Stepantsminda, Buddy, Pancho, Melissa, Riva, Sopho and I again boarded our Mitsubishi Delica L-400 van that would take us, a further 450 m. up, to Gergeti Trinity Church, a popular name for the Holy Trinity Church. This isolated church, situated on the right bank of the river Chkheri (the left tributary of the river Terek), at an elevation of 2,170 m, is located just outside the town, near the shepherd’s village of Gergeti.

Gergeti Trinity Church

The small but well-preserved church, known to be the only cross-cupola church in Khevi province, was built in the 14th century. Its separate bell tower dates back to the same period as the church itself. During the Soviet Period all religious services were prohibited, but the church still remained to be a popular tourist destination. The church is now an active establishment of the Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church.

The separate bell tower

The drive, up a rough, rocky and snow-laden mountain trail through the forest, took us around 30 minutes. There was fantastic scenery all throughout the ascent, with scenic alpine valleys, crystal-clear streams, and great vistas of mountains.

The church with Caucasus Mountains in the background

Upon our arrival just below the church, Sopho, Buddy, Riva and I hiked up the remaining distance to the church. Pancho and Melissa stayed behind in the van. Once there, we were held in awe by the breathtaking and panoramic view of the towering Caucasus Mountains, with the fabulous 5,034 m. (16,516 ft.) high, snow-capped Mt. Kazbegi (Georgia’s 3rd highest mountain, after Mt. Shkhara and Janga, and the seventh highest peak in the Caucasus Mountains) in the foreground of the church.

The author at the viewpoint

Inside this small but gorgeous and intimate church are amazing old doors, some impressive frescoes and beautiful paintings of icons (including a rare Black Madonna icon which was saved from a fire). Probably the most fundamentalist of Georgian Orthodox churches, ladies really need to wear a headscarf, long sleeves and a skirt to go inside (there is a changing room with these items provided). Men also have to wear trousers to get in.

The church facade

There was no entrance fee but photography wasn’t allowed inside. In the ceiling, there is a trap door where, according to the 18^th century Georgian author Vakhushti Batonishvili, the precious relics from Mtskheta, such as St. Nino’s cross, were brought here for safekeeping in times of danger or possible invasion.

Detail of bas-reliefs

The church, a popular waypoint for trekkers in the area, can also be reached via a steep 1.5 to 3 hour (depending on your fitness level) uphill climb. Gergeti Trinity Church’s isolated location on top of a steep mountain, surrounded by the vastness of nature, has truly made it a worthy symbol for Georgia. The sheer scale and immensity of this serene place was incredible and it’s too beautiful not to visit if you ever find yourself in Georgia.

The Mitsubishi Delica L-400 4×4 van we used to get up the mountain

Georgia National Tourism Administration: 4, Sanapiro St, 0105, Tbilisi, Georgia. Tel: +995 32 43 69 99. E-mail: info@gnta.ge. Website: www.georgia.travel; www.gnta.ge.

Ananuri Fortress (Georgia)

Posted on 30 November, 2014 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

(All photos courtesy of Ms. Riva Galveztan)

We started Day Two of our GNTA-sponsored tour of the Georgian countryside by traveling 157 kms. to the northeastern Georgian town of Stepantsminda (formerly Kazbegi). To get there, we would travel along the Georgian Military Highway. This historic mountain road that crosses the Greater Caucasus Mountains, connecting Tbilisi in Georgia with the Russian town of Vladikavkaz in North Ossetia, passes through narrow gorges squeezed between colossal mountains, making for some amazing views.

The amazingly scenic Ananuri Fortress

On one of the turns along the highway, about 72 kms. (45 miles) and an hour away out of Tbilisi, we made a stopover at the scenic Ananuri Fortress which stands spectacularly on a promontory above the large, 11.5 sq. km., azure-blue Zhinvali water reservoir on the Aragvi River, an important water supply for Tbilisi formed after the construction of the Zhinvali Dam.

The Zhinvali water reservoir

To get to the castle, we had to make a short walk down a narrow road. This castle complex, the seat of the redoubtable eristavis (dukes) of Aragvi, a feudal dynasty which ruled the area from the 13th century, was the scene of numerous battles as it guarded the way to the ancient capital of Dusheti and, centuries later, the main road linking Georgia with Russia, serving as a garrison for Russian troops.

The crenellated curtain wall

Zurab Aragveli, a ruthless local prince known for attacking neighboring mountain clans and even blinding his own brother, was responsible for building much of what is now seen. In 1739, the fortress was attacked and set on fire by forces commanded by Shanshe, the duke of the rival duchy of Ksani, and the Aragvi clan was massacred. The usurpers, in turn, were killed 4 years later when local peasants revolted against their rule.

One of the fort’s towers

King Teimuraz II was invited to rule directly over them but, in 1746, the king was forced to suppress, with the help of King Erekle II of Kakheti, another peasant uprising. The fortress remained in use until the beginning of the 19th century. In 2007, the complex was placed on the tentative list for inclusion into the UNESCO World Heritage Site program.

Interior of one of the round towers

The late-feudal Georgian fortress complex, incorporating a circuit wall with turrets, porch, churches, a spring, a reservoir and a Svanetian tower with a stepped pyramidal roof, consists of 2 fortifications joined by a crenellated curtain wall. The well-preserved upper fortification, with a large square tower (known as Sheupovari), is the location of the last defense of the Aragvi against Shanshe.

The Church of the Assumption

The lower fortification, with a round tower, is mostly in ruins. Within the complex are two churches. The brick Church of the Virgin, the older of the two, dates from the first half of the 17th century. Abutting a tall square tower, it has the graves of some of the Dukes of Aragvi. Its interior, no longer decorated, has a stone baldaquin erected by the widow of Duke Edishera, who prematurely died in 1674 without giving her a child.

The tall, narrow watchtower adjacent to the west wall of the church

We were to visit the upper fortification. Three of the upper fortification’s five massive towers, including the largest Sheupovari Tower, face the Georgian Military Highway. We all entered the complex to the right of the fortification, from the middle of the southern wall. As we entered the fortress, we faced the Church of the Assumption (Ghvtismshobeli), the main domed cathedral and the larger of the two churches.

Grapevine cross carved on the south façade of the church

Georgian script carved on the south facade of the church

The church, built in 1689 for the son of Duke Bardzem and designed by architect: K. Bakhsarashvili, has a central dome and its earliest pyramidal tower is located by its western wall. It is interesting to explore from the outside as it has a richly decorated façade with some very well-preserved bas-reliefs featuring human, animal and floral images. The north entrance has Georgian script carved on the walls while the south façade has a carved grapevine cross. Adjacent to the west wall of the church is a tall, narrow watch tower dating from the 13th or 14th century.

The church’s modest interior

The central dome of the church

Inside its modest interior, we could still see the remains of a number of frescoes, most of which were destroyed by a fire in the 18th century. Among the scenes depicted are the famous Thirteen Assyrian Fathers, prominent ecclesiastical figures which represent convincing evidence for the study of the iconography of these figures. We also saw people lighting candles (bought from the kiosk on the left hand side as you enter the church) and placing them underneath paintings and icons of saints. Along the church’s east wall are several tombstones.

Fresco of the Thirteen Assyrian Fathers

Too bad we didn’t have time to climb its towers. This fortified ensemble truly was photogenic, thanks to its wonderful location overlooking the Zhinvali Reservoir, as well historically significant, thanks to centuries of royal rivalry. Indeed this true castle, the first one I ever visited, is about as medieval as one can get and was well worth a visit.

Melissa, Sopho and Consul Cunanan

Ananuri Fortress: Georgian Military Highway, Ananuri. Open daily, 9 AM – 7 PM. Admission is free.

Georgia National Tourism Administration: 4, Sanapiro St, 0105, Tbilisi, Georgia. Tel: +995 32 43 69 99. E-mail: info@gnta.ge. Website: www.georgia.travel; www.gnta.ge.

This travel blog, a diary of the author’s local and international travels, aims to provide the reader with news and information on people, places and events that would interest the avid traveler and tourist. But, it also aims to be much more, providing insights on the wonders of this beautiful country, as well as the world, beyond the strict confines of the city. Have a BLAST seeing old churches, exotic temples, educational museums as well as palm-fringed islands; white sand beaches; thundering waterfalls; placid lakes; fiery sunsets; turquoise seas; cathedral-like caves; swirling rivers; majestic mountains; stupendous, amphitheater-like rice terraces; awesome volcanoes and the like. Get to know the movers and shakers in the tourism industry; find out where to titillate the palate; rejuvenate your body; feed your adrenalin, unwind and relax; satisfy your craving for history and culture; and find out what's being celebrated and where.

BENJAMIN “BENJIE” LAYUG, an architect by profession (he finished his B. S. Architecture degree from the University of the Philippines Diliman in 1982), is also a copy editor for two publishing houses; travel writer; blogger; architectural historian; author; concert. movie and musical reviewer (for www.pep.ph); and a motivational speaker.

As a free-lance travel writer, he has, in the past, contributed articles to Travel Update, Philippine Daily Inquirer, COLORS, TODAY, 7107 Islands Magazine, Business Day and Bluprint. He currently writes for Artplus Magazine and the Business Mirror.

He is also the author of the following travel books:

A Philippine Odyssey (New Day Publishers, 2005)
Pathfinder’s Travel Guide: Boracay (Great Books Trading, 2006)
A Tourist Guide to Notable Philippine Churches (New Day Publishers, 2007)
A Tourist to Notable Philippine Historical Landmarks, Monuments and Shrines (New Day Publishers, 2010)
A Tourist Guide to Notable Philippine Museums (New Day Publishers, 2012)

Some of his books now appear in the local library shelves of the National Library of the Philippines, De La Salle University, Ateneo de Manila University, University of Sto. Tomas, U.P. Diliman, Centro Escolar University, San Sebastian College, Miriam College, Silliman University, to name a few, as well as internationally at the National Library of Australia and the University of California Berkeley Library.

Now a senior citizen, he is probably one of the oldest, if not the oldest, active travel blogger in the country today. He also has a lifestyle blog called F.Y.I.:Firing Your Imagination (www.firingyourimagination.blogspot.com). Benjie has traveled to two-thirds (53) of the country’s 81 provinces and over 20 countries in 4 continents.