New Shuamta

New Shuamta church of the Birth of Mother of God is located close to Telavi, in Kakheti, in a distance of some 2-3 km from Old Shuamta Monastery. The building is erected on the open plane surrounded by the defensive wall. There are a bell tower and some other auxiliary construction beyond the wall… The church was built in XVI c in times of the reign of King of Kakheti Levan and his spouse – Queen Tinatin. According to chronicles the Queen herself chose the place for the future church that she had seen in a dream as a child. Here she found her last shelter as well.

New Shuamta church has the “recorded Cross” configuration with one pair of columns arranged in the western section of the interior. The cross-shaped construction is crowned with a dome that has got a deliberately high barrel gaining peculiarity to the church and giving to it almost the Gothic appearance.

Initial building was provided with an ambulatory that enveloped the main body from three sides. Unfortunately it is totally missing nowadays.

Exterior of the brickwork church is adorned with large arches, and outlines of the cross and other decorative elements all arranged by means of brick laying technique. The interior is adorned with contemporaneous wall painting most of which is well preserved.

The bell-tower is contemporaneous to the church. Its second floor had been used as the residential area where Queen Tinatin spent her days after the admission to monastic vows. The monastery closed in Soviet Times new hosts the nunnery reestablished here after the fall of communism.