Built in the 10th century. It is known far beyond the borders of the country, located in the city center, at the intersection of Gitsba Street and Cypress Alley. Every year the cathedral is visited by thousands of pilgrims and tourists from all over the CIS and other countries of the world.

Peculiarities

The cathedral houses the holy relics of one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ, Simon the Canaanite, who died a martyr’s death in the 1st century AD. e. Here in the tomb lie the relics of St. Andrew the First-Called. These Saints are revered not only in Abkhazia, but also in many other countries of the world.

The tomb is located in the depths of the cathedral, painted with unique frescoes, many of which require urgent restoration work, since time does not spare fragile creations of human hands.

In the interior decoration of the cathedral there is an unusual combination of paintings made in the Middle Ages, with corresponding secular scenes and the domed face of Jesus. You can take the stairs to the second floor, where cozy balconies offer excellent views of the stage.

Today the cathedral is not operational, it houses concert hall with an antique organ that was specially made in Germany more than 40 years ago. Vibrations from the sound of the instrument have a destructive effect on the unique frescoes located on the walls of the temple and in the tomb.

In order to stop the destruction, it is necessary to transfer the organ to another location. A decision on this was recently made, and today the cathedral is awaiting a contractor who can carefully, without damaging the architectural monument, dismantle and move the instrument.

The most serious damage to the cathedral was caused by Soviet period. It was then that it was stripped of its colorful decoration. Icons, crosses, fragments of the mosaic floor were transferred to the Tbilisi Museum. The cathedral was converted into an organ hall back in 1975. Until recently, it hosted organ concerts and other cultural events.

Why is the complex interesting?

The complex is located in the city center on a small area with several buildings. Some of them are well preserved, some require major repairs and restoration, some were destroyed during the Georgian-Abkhaz war in the 90s of the last century. Such destroyed buildings include the bell tower, located at the entrance to the complex, and the temple, built in the 2nd century AD. All that was left of it were the side walls.

Myself Patriarchal Cathedral Over its centuries-old history, it has been modified several times. The thickness of its walls suggests that one of the tasks of the builders was to create a powerful building that would withstand enemy attacks. Later, the building was decorated with the attributes of a three-nave, cross-domed church.

The architectural composition is complemented by a small chapel, which was built on the site of a former well that had become unnecessary. It is so tiny that only two praying people can fit in it. The chapel dates back to the same century as the entire complex.

When there is a concert in the cathedral, tourists are allowed to move around the territory. Audibility there is excellent; you can listen to all the works performed at the concert while sitting on a bench or grass next to the cathedral.

Patriarchal Cathedral in Pitsunda, aka Cathedral of St. Andrew the First-Called- a large cross-domed temple in the center of the city of Pitsunda, next to the ancient ruins. One of several large temples in Abkhazia, this one is the most famous due to its location in the middle of the resort in full view of everyone. The temple was somewhat damaged by Soviet renovations, which turned it into a concert hall. There have been discussions about the need to correct the consequences of this repair for six years now.

Story

The first temple on this site was built under Emperor Justinian I. There is an opinion that it appeared after the construction St. Sophia Cathedral in Constantinople. In this case, Pitsunda was built between 537 and 565. That first cathedral stood for 500 years, and already at the very end of the 10th century, a new one was erected on its foundation - the one we see now. The construction of the cathedral is usually attributed to the Georgian king Bagrat III, who in 978 received the Abkhazian kingdom as an inheritance from his mother. This was the same king who built the temple of Bagrat and Nikortsminda. Sometimes they write that the cathedral was built at the beginning of the 10th century by one of the Abkhaz kings. Such a king, in principle, could be Giorgi II, who built a lot of things. But George's buildings are usually well known, and are tied to his name very reliably. And nothing at all is said about Giorgiy’s involvement in the construction of this cathedral. So Bagrat seems a more likely candidate for the founder.

The temple turned out to be a little different from other Georgian temples of that time: this one has too much brick, it is not a triconch, and its dome is not pyramidal. Moreover modern look The cathedral roughly corresponds to how it looked before the restoration (engravings have been preserved), only the porch on the southern wall has disappeared.

Since its construction, the temple has become the cathedral church of the Abkhaz Catholicosate. He remained so until the 16th century, when Christian culture left Abkhazia and the presence of the bishop in Pitsunda lost its meaning. The bishop left for Gelati, and Pitsunda went to a pagan settlement. Sometimes de-Christianization is associated with the appearance of Turkey in the Black Sea, but the Turks appeared only in 1578, briefly capturing Sukhumi, and then appeared from time to time, interested only in Sukhumi and its environs.

An interesting thing happened in the pagan era: the dome of the cathedral was struck by lightning, and according to the pagan concepts of that era, everything that was struck by lightning was considered sacred. So the cathedral became a revered place among the pagan Abkhazians.

Pitsunda itself almost disappeared from the face of the earth, and only in the middle of the 19th century was the cathedral repaired and consecrated as the Assumption Cathedral. It was probably at this time that it was thoroughly “Russified” by covering the old frescoes with plaster. Then it came Soviet era and the cathedral was closed again.

In 1975, it underwent another renovation and turned into a concert hall. The altar part turned into a stage, near which a German organ was installed. Those who had a chance to visit Pitsunda in the 80s remember those concerts well, and the light alcoholic drinks, which were sold there in the temple.

Since then, basically nothing has changed.

Modernity

Now the cathedral is a classic, without any oddities, cross-domed church 29 meters high, 37 meters long and 25 meters wide.

Its only peculiarity lies in the masonry: its lower part, about two meters from the ground, is made of stone, then there are alternating strips of stone and brick, and the strips of stone become thinner and thinner. The dome is completely brick. Due to this combination of materials, it is devoid of the façade decorations that were so popular in those days. Surprisingly, the cathedral stood until the 19th century and nothing collapsed: in the engraving of 1840 we see both the dome and the roof of the vaults. That is, even circular vaults, which are almost always resolved, survived in this case. But there is a mystery here too. The vault of the cathedral, which is located above the altar, has a slight element of lancetness. It can be assumed that at least this section of the vault was rebuilt in later eras.

The temple is interesting, in particular, because of the rather large space in the choir. A stone staircase leads up there, and chairs for listening to the organ were installed at the top.

It is often written in guidebooks that there is a certain special atmosphere and aura there. So - there is none of this. The temple doesn't look like a temple at all. It was a concert hall concert hall it remained - all the same plastered walls, plush armchairs and the general atmosphere of a Soviet institution. In Abkhazia there is nothing to compare it with (except perhaps with Mokva), but against the backdrop of the churches of Georgia and Armenia it, of course, loses greatly.

How to find

There is no need to particularly look for the temple - it is located in the very center of the city, on the territory museum complex. For this reason, it is actually paid. The ticket allows you to see not only the temple, but also local history museum, but this does not cancel the fact that the temple is paid for, although it slightly masks it.

So we got to the sights of Pitsunda, where we rested. The cathedral stands in the city center, surrounded by a stone fence. A tour of the territory of this museum complex costs 150 rubles.

The Patriarchal Cathedral in Pitsunda in honor of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called is a cathedral built in Pitsunda (Pitiunt) at the beginning of the 10th century during the reign of the Georgian king Bagrat III from the Bagration dynasty, who was the nephew of the last Abkhaz king Theodosius III.

1. We walk along the cypress alley to the cathedral.

The ancient 3-nave cross-domed church, built in the 10th century, stands out for its powerful forms, grandiose dimensions (length 39 m, width 25 m, height with dome 29 m, wall thickness 1.5 m) and belongs to the best monuments Abkhazian medieval architecture. In the southwestern part of the narthex, part of the frescoes of the Byzantine school of the 15th century has been preserved (the image of Christ Pantocrator and the Twelve Apostles in the dome dates back to the 19th century).Later the temple turned into ruins and was restored only in the 19th century. Restorations destroyed the ancient appearance, but could not destroy the grandeur and severity of the outlines. After restoration, the cathedral was consecrated in honor of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. From 1882 to 1917 The temple was the courtyard of the New Athos Monastery.

2.

3.

4. On the right is the entrance to the local hospital,

5.

6. The central gate and the largest flag of Abkhazia in the world.

7. View of the cathedral from the street. Gitsba.

8. The central gate to the museum complex.

9. The cathedral in all its glory.

The cathedral belongs to the type of cross-domed, three-nave and three-apse churches. Constructed from stone and brick. There is a certain order in the distribution of these materials. The walls of the temple from the base are made exclusively of stone blocks, then the masonry takes on a mixed character: rows of stone interspersed with brick layers. The higher you go, the thinner the stone layers, and the thicker the brick layers. The upper part of the walls, the drum and the dome resting on it, and the internal pillars are made entirely of bricks of various sizes. On the central altar apse, crosses are laid out in thick brick between the windows outside. The smooth walls are covered with plaster, in former times decorated with frescoes, of which only the belt of medallions in the altar has now been preserved. Inside the temple, in its western part, there is a tomb in which there are two huge tombs built in honor of the apostles Simon the Canaanite and Andrew the First-Called, as evidenced by two frescoes with images of saints.

10. This building currently houses a museum.

Before the revolution and for some time after it, Pitsundsky was located on the territory of the temple monastery. Under Soviet rule, the monastery was abolished. During Khrushchev's times the temple was used as a museum for exhibits archaeological excavations nearby Byzantine settlement. And in the neighboring 2-story monastery building, on the 1st floor there was the 1st Russian eight-year school. After the construction of the ten-year plan, the museum was moved to the vacated premises. An organ was installed in the temple in 1975 and the temple turned into a concert hall.

11. The museum’s exhibition has not changed for 25 years.

12. On the right are the remains of the bell tower.

13. Photo from the museum with the bell tower still in use.

14.

15. Preserved painting.

16. Acting body.

The temple building has excellent acoustic properties. Because of this feature, an organ concert hall was opened here in 1975. The organ installed in the Assumption Church was made in Germany and is the second largest instrument in the territory former USSR after the Dome Cathedral in Riga. The issue of moving the organ from the cathedral building was raised in 2009. July 29, 2014 acting President of Abkhazia Valery Bganba signed a decree in which he instructed the Ministry of Culture, together with the state administration, to protect history cultural heritage to find the possibility of moving the organ from the Pitsunda Cathedral to another place.

17. Stairs to the second floor.

18. Tomb.

Inside the cathedral, in its western part, there is a tomb in which there are two tombs built for the apostles Andrew the First-Called and Simon the Canaanite, as evidenced by the fresco images of the two apostles inside the tomb.

19.

20. Room on the second floor.

21.

22.

23. Central entrance, view from the courtyard.

23. Small Dalmen on the left.

24. As always, crowds of tourists.

25. On the left are the ruins of a 4th century chapel, on the right is a well.

26. 19th century chapel. Restored and operational.

27. Small chapel bells.

28.

29.

The ancient 3-nave cross-domed temple, built in the 10th century, stands out for its powerful forms, grandiose dimensions (length 39 m, width 25 m, height with dome 29 m, wall thickness 1.5 m) and is one of the best monuments of the Abkhazian medieval architecture. In the southwestern part of the narthex, part of the frescoes of the Byzantine school of the 15th century has been preserved. (the image of Christ Pantocrator and the Twelve Apostles in the dome dates back to the 19th century).

Later the temple turned into ruins and was restored only in the 19th century. Restorations destroyed the ancient appearance, but could not destroy the grandeur and severity of the outlines. From 1882 to 1917 The temple was the courtyard of the New Athos Monastery.

The temple building has excellent acoustic properties. Because of this feature, an organ concert hall was opened here in 1975. The organ installed in the Assumption Church was made in Germany and is the second largest instrument in the territory of the former USSR after the Dome Cathedral in Riga.

Pitsunda Temple erected in the 11th century and consecrated in the name of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called. Before the revolution and for some time after it, the Pitsunda Monastery was located on the territory of the temple. Under Soviet rule, the monastery was abolished. During Khrushchev's times, the temple was used as a museum for exhibits from archaeological excavations of a nearby Byzantine settlement. And in the neighboring 2-story monastery building, on the 1st floor, there was the 1st Russian eight-year school. After the construction of the ten-year plan, the museum was moved to the vacated premises. An organ was installed in the temple in 1975 and the temple turned into a concert hall.

The Pitsunda Cathedral in the middle of the 10th century became the see of the Abkhaz Catholicos. Here the elections of Catholicos-Patriarchs of Abkhazia and the ordination of bishops took place. In the XI-XV centuries the cathedral was renovated several times. In the 17th century, under the threat of attack from the Turks, the chair of the Catholicos of Abkhazia was moved to Gelati (Georgia), the cathedral was abandoned. In the second half of the 19th century, the cathedral was rebuilt and consecrated in honor of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary.

The cathedral belongs to the type of cross-domed, three-nave and three-apse churches. Constructed from stone and brick. There is a certain order in the distribution of these materials. The walls of the temple from the base are made exclusively of stone blocks, then the masonry takes on a mixed character: rows of stone interspersed with brick layers. The higher you go, the thinner the stone layers, and the thicker the brick layers. The upper part of the walls, the drum and the dome resting on it, and the internal pillars are made entirely of bricks of various sizes. On the central altar apse, crosses are laid out in thick brick between the windows outside. The smooth walls are covered with plaster, in former times decorated with frescoes, of which only the belt of medallions in the altar has now been preserved. Inside the cathedral, in its western part, there is a tomb in which there are two tombs built for the apostles Andrew the First-Called and Simon the Canaanite, as evidenced by the fresco images of the two apostles inside the tomb.

http://dic.academic.ru/dic.nsf/ruwiki/396377

The Patriarchal Cathedral of St. Andrew the First-Called in Pitsunda was founded at the beginning of the 10th century during the reign of Bagrat III, the great Georgian king from the Bagration dynasty. It was built in honor of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called. In the middle of the 10th century, the monastery became the see of the Abkhaz Catholicos. Here the ordination of bishops and the elections of Catholicos - Patriarchs of Abkhazia were held. In the XI-XV centuries the temple was rebuilt several times. IN early XVII century, the see of the Catholicos of Abkhazia was moved to Gelati under the threat of attack from the Turks, and the cathedral was abandoned. IN late XIX century, the monastery was again rebuilt and consecrated in honor of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Patriarchal Cathedral belongs to the type of three-nave, three-apse and cross-domed churches. It was built from brick and stone; there is a certain pattern in the distribution of these materials. From the base, the walls of the cathedral are made exclusively of large stone blocks, and its masonry is of a mixed nature - rows of stone alternate with brick layers.

The issue of moving the organ, installed in 1975 by German masters, from the cathedral building was raised in 2009. July 29, 2014 acting President of Abkhazia Valery Bganba signed a decree in which he instructed the Ministry of Culture, together with the state administration for the protection of the history of cultural heritage, to find the possibility of moving the organ from the Pitsunda Cathedral to another place.

Inside the temple, in its western part, there is a tomb in which there are two huge tombs built in honor of the apostles Simon the Canaanite and Andrew the First-Called, as evidenced by two frescoes with images of saints.

In 1991, in order to preserve unique historical, cultural and environmental monuments in Pitsunda, the State Historical and Architectural Reserve "Great Pitiunt" was created with the status national park-reserve. The main security object of the reserve is the Byzantine settlement of the 2nd-6th centuries (barracks buildings, the palace of the commander of the legion, Roman baths, wine cellars, a well) and the temple complex of the 4th-19th centuries. The complex is located in the city center behind a powerful stone wall from the 10th century AD. with a total length of 550 m, a height of up to 8 m and a thickness of 1.5 m.

The city of Pitiunt on the site of present-day Pitsunda was founded by Greek merchants who came from Miletus. In the II century. AD The Romans built a fortress here - a castella, which had the perfect defensive structures of its time: walls made of cobblestones and bricks, towers and complex gate systems, water supply, trading warehouses. Inside the castella, the foundations of a large stone building - a praetorium, with a total area of ​​more than 6 hectares, were excavated, indicating, along with other data, that the central command of a whole group of garrisons located in northern Colchis was then located in Pitiunta. The fortress, along with Sebastopolis (modern Sukhum), was part of a single defensive system of city-settlements in the eastern Black Sea region, serving as a Byzantine outpost in the region until the middle of the 6th century.

In the 4th century. AD On the territory of the fortress, the Romans built an ancient Christian basilica church, in which Bishop Stratophilus served, who participated in the Ecumenical Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. e. At the end of the 5th - beginning of the 6th century, the floor of this temple was decorated with rich mosaics, consisting of geometric patterns and subject compositions. This mosaic floor with an area of ​​60 square meters is one of the oldest in the Caucasus. The mosaic was made by local craftsmen from local stone cubes in twelve colors and is a masterpiece ancient art having global significance. The mosaic also had an inscription in ancient Greek. Unfortunately, most of the most interesting and preserved fragments of the mosaic, after being discovered, were irrevocably taken to Georgia.

During the work to strengthen the foundation, the remains of ancient walls of the 4th-6th centuries were revealed, according to the working version, the residence of the legendary Bishop Stratophilus of Pitiunta. Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, under whose rule Pitsunda was in the 6th century, considered Pitius the most important strategic fortress on the Caucasian coast of the Black Sea. In the 6th century, in the fortress, on the site of an already dilapidated temple of the 4th century, on his orders, a new majestic temple was erected. In 541 AD it housed the episcopal see, where the first baptism of Abkhazians took place. The ruins of temples of the 4th and 6th centuries located on the territory of the Pitsunda complex were excavated in the 50-60s of the 20th century.

With the formation of the Abkhazian kingdom and the acquisition of autocephaly by the Abkhazian Church in the 8th century. AD The Pitsunda temple becomes the throne church of Abkhazia. An interesting architectural monument outside the fortress walls dates back to the same period (second half of the 6th - 9th centuries) - the ruins of a unique two-hall church with two hexagonal apses on the outside. There are only two other such “double” churches known in the Christian world. Both of them are in Asia Minor and date from Tue. floor. VI to XI centuries.

During the heyday of the Abkhazian kingdom in the 9th-10th centuries. A new temple was built using bricks. The architecture of the Pitsunda temple is completely different from the Georgian one; on the contrary, it emphasizes its similarity with other temples of Abkhazia of Eastern Byzantine architecture - Simon the Canaanite in New Athos and especially with the Lykhny temple. The Pitsunda Cathedral in the middle of the 10th century became the see of the Abkhaz Catholicos. Here the elections of Catholicos-Patriarchs of Abkhazia and the ordination of bishops took place.

In the 16th century the cathedral was being renovated. The fortress wall, having been rebuilt several times, was last enlarged and strengthened by the local population in the 16th century during the Turkish invasion, when the Pitsunda Catholicos appealed to the people to protect the main temple of Abkhazia. At the same time, a significant part of the walls of the Byzantine settlement was destroyed during the selection of building material. In the 16th century, a tomb was built in the western room, the walls and ceiling of which were richly painted. Among the subjects of the painting, the scenes of “Carrying the Cross”, “Crucifixion” and “Crying” are especially interesting.

In the 17th century, under the threat of attack from the Turks, the chair of the Abkhaz Catholicos was moved to Gelati (Georgia). The cathedral was abandoned, but continued to attract both local population who came to his walls to take oaths, as well as foreigners. The Zaporozhye Cossacks stopped here when they raided Turkey.

In the second half of the 19th century, the cathedral was renovated and consecrated in honor of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. From 1875 to 1917, the temple was the courtyard of the New Athos Monastery. After the revolution, a gunpowder warehouse was set up in it, then a utility store, during the Great Patriotic War, in 1943 and early 1944 the 248th Infantry Regiment was located here.

In 1974, the director of the Association of Boarding Houses of the Pitsunda Resort, Enver Erastovich Kapba, received an order from the Central Council for the Management of Trade Union Resorts to carry out the restoration of the Pitsunda Temple, as well as to purchase and install an organ in it. From then to the present, the Pitsunda Temple has been a concert hall.

http://www.abkhazia.ru/excursions/pitsundatemple/; https://sergeytsvetkov.livejournal.com/465449.html

The temple in the city of Pitsunda is famous not only for its interesting story, but also the organ, which both tourists and local residents from all over the area come to listen to. In this publication we will tell you about the sights of this city that will surprise every traveler.

City `s history

The history of the city of Pitiunta, which previously stood where modern Pitsunda is now located, begins with its founding by merchants of Greek origin. Back in the 2nd century AD, the Romans built a defensive structure here using the most modern technologies of that period. Already in the 4th century, the territory was supplemented by an ancient Christian temple - a basilica.

Pitsunda Temple

At the end of the 5th - beginning of the 6th century, the basilica temple was decorated with magnificent painted mosaics, which consisted of patterns and designs with various intricate plots. Justinian the First, who ruled Pitsunda at that time (VI century), wanted to give Pitius the status of an important fortress on the Caucasian Black Sea coast from a strategic point of view. In the 6th century, on the territory of the building, where a dilapidated temple already stood at that time, according to his orders, the building of a new, even more majestic temple was erected. The year 541 was marked by the first baptism of Abkhazians in history, and it was on this site that the episcopal see was located. The remains of some medieval churches in the Pitsunda complex were discovered by archaeologists in the middle of the last century. When the Abkhazian kingdom reached its heyday, in the 9th-10th centuries. built new church which was built using bricks.

In the 16th century, the Pitsunda Temple was renovated, and a tomb with richly painted walls and a patterned ceiling was erected on the territory of the western wing. Already in the 17th century, during the threat of a Turkish attack, the Abkhaz Catholicos moved their see to the Georgian city of Gelati. The cathedral building turned out to be abandoned, however, as before, locals and foreigners came to take vows at the Pitsunda temple. His story did not end there. The Zaporozhye army stopped on its territory on the way to Turkish lands. In the 19th century, the temple was again consecrated and reconstructed. The chapel building, which was located nearby, was built by New Athos monks using remains that were well preserved. Today, services have been held on its territory for 25 years. New Athos clergy conduct liturgy and also baptize locals.

Organ in the Pitsunda Temple

In 1975, an organ was installed in the church, which was created by the Schuke company in Potsdam. In addition, the concert hall premises were rebuilt at the same time. And to this day, in the ancient cathedral building you can hear works written by J. S. Bach and other great composers. Concerts of Abkhazian and Russian artists who gather those who love academic music. The church stage and the territory of the ancient building every year invites to the Khibla Gerzmava festival members of the Moscow Chamber Orchestra Musica Viva, conducted by Alexander Rudin, as well as the Chamber Orchestra of the Moscow Conservatory, conducted by conductor Felix Korobov. Here works performed by Elena Obraztsova, the famous pianist Denis Matsuev, the Moscow Virtuosi orchestra and other famous artists performing classical music. Svyatoslav Belz has been the permanent host of festival performances for many years now. In addition, he is a famous Russian musicologist.

Controversial issue

Six years ago, in 2010, Abkhaz society discussed controversial issues about the organ in the Pitsunda temple. Members of the diocese assured the authorities that the cathedral was the seat of the old episcopate, and therefore the instrument should be moved. However, due to the influence of public opinion, the issue of the Pitsunda Temple was postponed. The budget provided more than one hundred thousand euros for overhaul organ. This moment indicated that the issue of transferring the instrument to some other future building was being postponed. Actually, like the return of the ancient Pitsunda temple to the episcopate. The organ is unique in the territory. It was defended by a large number of famous musicians, including all the best organists, as well as such famous representatives of art as Elena Obraztsova, V. Spivakov and H. Gerzmava.

Experts came to the State Concert Hall in the Pitsunda Church to repair the organ. This happened in 2011 under the leadership of the same company from Potsdam. The instrument was created by one of the most famous masters in German classical organ building - Hans Jochaim Schuke.

Famous musicians who gave concerts in the organ hall

Since the hall was opened, concerts in the Pitsunda Church have been given by members of the Abkhaz State Chapel, which was led by People's Artist Republic of Adygea Nora Adjinjal, and leading soloists of the State Philharmonic of Abkhazia were also present. The performances were held with the participation of the following musicians: G. Tatevosyan, A. Otrba, G. Avidzba; in addition, representatives of the State symphony orchestra under the direction of A. Khagba and V. Aiba, and many others. In the hall of the Pitsunda Temple, Abkhaz artists can demonstrate their talent. Russian musicians also do this. The concerts are attended by a large number of vacationers who come here to listen to the works of classical composers, as well as local residents.

Concert schedule

Today, both invited artists perform in the cathedral, giving concerts that can be seen on posters, and permanent musicians. One of them is Luca Gadelia, who plays in the church as one of the members of the chamber orchestra every Thursday. You can also hear his music performed solo on Sunday if you come to the Pitsunda Church (the schedule of Sunday concerts is constant - the performance starts at 17:00).