Dranda Cathedral

Dranda Cathedral (Abkhazian: Нанҳәа иазку Дранда-ныха, Georgian: დრანდის ტაძარი) is a Georgian Orthodox Cathedral located in Dranda, in the Gulripshi district of the de facto independent Republic of Abkhazia, internationally recognised to constitute a part of Georgia.

Dranda Cathedral
Нанҳәа иазку Дранда-ныха
დრანდის ტაძარი
Dranda Cathedral
Religion
AffiliationGeorgian Orthodox Church
Location
LocationDranda, Gulripshi District, Georgia
Abkhazia (de facto)[1]
Architecture
TypeRadial
StyleByzantine, Georgian; Cathedral[2]
FounderPossibly Justinian I
GroundbreakingPossibly early-mid 6th century.
CompletedPossibly 551

According to the Roman historian Procopius of Caesarea, in 551 emperor Justinian I built a temple in these environs, this is believed by some to have been what is now the cathedral in Dranda. In the Georgian Orthodox Catholicate of Abkhazia, Dranda was the seat of a bishop.

There has been some restoration on the exterior walls of the structure and roof, covering with stucco much of the original brick architecture that was once visible. Small portions may still be seen in what was intentionally left untouched.

  • Close-up of the exterior wall.
  • Baptismal font before the reconstruction
  • Interior with the font (after reconstruction) in the background

References
  1. Abkhazia is the subject of a territorial dispute between the Republic of Abkhazia and Georgia. The Republic of Abkhazia unilaterally declared independence on 23 July 1992, but Georgia continues to claim it as part of its own sovereign territory and designates it as a territory occupied by Russia. Abkhazia has received formal recognition as an independent state from 7 out of 193 United Nations member states, 1 of which has subsequently withdrawn its recognition.
  2. Mariam Didebulidze, Cultural Heritage of Abkhazia (Apkhazeti)


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