Photos of the Medieval Georgian Ikalto Monastery Georgia

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Photos of the Beautiful Medieval Georgian Ikalto Monastery Georgia Georgia, Georgia (country). Photos by photographer Paul E Williams.  (TIP – use the icons below the slideshow for thumbnail photos and info)

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Photos of the Beautiful Medieval Georgian Ikalto Monastery Georgia, (country)

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Photos of Ikalto Monastery complex & Academy of Ikalto, Near Telavi, Kakheti, Eastern Georgia (Country).

Foundation of Ikalto Monastery

Ikalto monastery was founded in the third quarter of the 6th century by St Zenon, one of the 13 Syrian Fathers. The main church of Ikalto monastery is the church of the Transfiguration, built in the 8th – 9th century. The churches cupola has 12 facets with a window in each and is supported on four freestanding pillars, the oldest example of this technique in Kakheti.

To the south of the Church of the Transfiguration is the small church of Kvelatsminda and the ruins of the refectory that was part of the academy complex built during the time of David the Builder (1089-1125).

Ikalto Academy

The Ikalto Monastery is famous for the Academy of Ikalto founded in the reign of King David the Builder by Arsen Ikaltoeli. The Academy of Ikalto trained its students in classical diciplins of rhetoric, astronomy, philosophy, geography, geometry. They also learnt the skills of chantings, pottery and poetry.

In the 12th century the Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli studied here at a time when students kept a jug of wine under their desks to aid their creativity and inspiration.