the front of the Church of the Saint Nicholas in Nikortsminda
On the way to Svaneti, and well north of the Motsameta and Gelati monasteries, near Kutaisi in Georgia and popular with visitors, is the less well known Church of the Saint Nicholas in the village of Nikortsminda. This church was built earlier, by King Bagrat III between 1010-1014. Both its outside decorations and inside frescoes – from the 17th C – rival those of the Gelati Monastery churches of the Blessed Virgin and of Saint George, and besides, it is generally a lot less busy than the other complexes. So allow me to present lots of pictures – far too many, I know – of this church.
another frieze, above one of the doors
frieze in the outside wall
extensively decorated door inside the church
with another frieze, above the door
striking fresco inside the church
the brightly decorated dome
another decoration, of a ceiling
frescoes in the apse
and detail of some of the faces
more frescoes
and more, familiar scenes
possibly Queen Tamar, holding up the church?
note the depiction of the horse here
and same animal, quite differently painted here
details of the Last Judgment
another fresco scene
an unusual symbol in the church
and another ceiling decoration
