Katskhi pillar
Katskhi pillar is a bizarre natural masterpiece and historical monument located near the village of the same name, which is not far from the city of Chiatura in western Georgia. The massive 40-meter limestone monolith rises above the green valley and the small river Katskhura, expressively standing out against the background of picturesque hilly landscapes. The height of the terrain at its foot is 620 meters. At the top of the pillar is the abode of hermit monks, revived after centuries of neglect.
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Video: Katshi pillar
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Highlights
The mystical Katshii Pillar, nicknamed Stairway to Heaven or Fortress of Solitude by locals, appears from afar to be the work of human hands. But in reality, this lonely rock is a remnant of a limestone plateau where a river cut a gorge in time immemorial. The base of this amazing column has undergone more intense erosion of the limestone layers, and it is noticeably narrower at the bottom than at the top.
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The total area of the plateau at the top of the cliff is about 150 m². There is a small monastery complex here, which is under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Chiatura and Sachkhere. This monastery of hermit monks dates back at least to the 10th century, but as a place of religious worship the Katshi pillar was known in early Christianity. Before that, pagan rites were performed here, dedicated to the god of fertility, whose personification by virtue of its phallic silhouette was the rock.
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The pillar, which has a negative slope, is difficult to access. To its summit, clergy and those who labor in the monastery climb a metal ladder, it takes about 20 minutes. Laity, exclusively men, can get here only by special permission. The location at the foot of the cliff is publicly accessible for inspection.
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Katskhi pillar is located in an incredibly picturesque area, but it can not be called touristy. Katskhi village is separated from Tbilisi by 200 km, from Kutaisi – 65 km. In the village there is an ancient monastery with a magnificent temple, many other historical and natural sights are located throughout the territory of Chiatura district. Travelers usually come to these lands independently by rented cars or look for guides familiar with the local region.
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History of the Katshi pillar
The first written references to the Katshi Pillar date back to the 18th century. They can be found in the records of Georgian Prince Vakhushti, a representative of the royal Bagrationi dynasty, who conducted research on the history and geography of Georgia. He reports about a rock located in the gorge and similar to a pillar, as well as about a “certain structure” on its top, to which no one can ascend. Nor has the author himself been able to do so.
At the same time, the pillar is surrounded by ancient legends, one of which says that the peak of the cliff was once connected by a long iron chain to the dome of the monastery temple in the village of Katshi. Another local legend claims that Simeon the Stolpnik spent his last days on the top of Katshi. This Syrian Christian monk, who preached in the 5th century, is considered to be the founder of the tradition of pillar-making, a grueling asceticism that involves continuous prayer on a pillar (hill). No evidence for such claims has been found, but a small chapel built at the base of the pillar in the 1990s was named in the name of the holy hermit Simeon the Stolpnik.
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Scientific research of Katskhi began in 1944, when a small group including mountaineers, two writers and a famous art historian and architectural historian Vakhtang Tsintsadze climbed to its summit. The explorers found here the remains of a complex of two structures, one of which was partially built into the rock and the other was created of stone. In his article Tsintsadze assumed that these were the ruins of two-hall temples and dated them to the V-VI centuries. However, based on the results of later systematic studies, historians have come to the conclusion that the structures on the pillar belong to the IX-X centuries, with one of them serving as a church, and the second, partially embedded in the rock, – a monastic house for 2-3 hermits, adherents of pillar hermitage.
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It is known for sure that in the XIII century the miniature monastery complex still existed. The basis for this assertion was recently discovered here slab with an inscription dating from this period. And the monastery was abandoned, probably in the XVI century, when Imeretia was conquered by the Ottomans.
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In the 1990s, the Katshii Pillar became the center of attention of the media and Orthodox priests. In 1992, the priest Modebadze, accompanied by journalists, climbed to its summit on old rickety scaffolding erected back in the 40s. Later, a sturdier but still extreme metal ladder was added to the rock.
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The revival of monastic life and the tradition of pillar-making on the Katskhi rock is owed to a local resident Maxim Kavtaradze. This man with a dark past, after leaving prison, decided to wash away his sins and took a monastic vow. In 1993, he settled in a grotto at the base of the rock and began collecting donations for the restoration of the temple.
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Later, Maxim moved to the top of the Katshi pillar and lived there alone, only twice a week descending the rickety stairs to the newly built church below. There, the monk conducted services for his fairly quickly emerging followers, mostly men who had also experienced life’s hardships. It should be said that in his youth the ascetic had worked as a crane operator, and climbing to heights was not a problem for him. Water and food were supplied to the hermit by his devotees, using a rope pull for this purpose.
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The first solid funds for the restoration of the temple on top of the Katskhi pillar monk Maxim, according to him, received from a certain “friend from Tbilisi”, and the local diocese of the Georgian Orthodox Church blessed the construction of the religious building. Monastic traditions, thanks to the hermit Maxim, were gradually revived, and in 2005 a state program to restore the monastery complex was launched. In 2010 5 monks from other monasteries were transferred here, and Hegumen Hilarion headed the monastery. Until then, not only clergymen, but also lay men were allowed to climb to the top. Then a ban on climbing was introduced for the latter. As an exception, construction workers and those who have received special permission from the churchmen are allowed here.
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Katskh Pillar Complex
The small monastery complex perched on a rocky peak includes only a few buildings. The main religious building is the miniature church of St. Maximus the Confessor, covered with red tiles. It was erected in 2008 in the southeastern corner of the plateau, on the ruins of the old church. The stone rectangular hall church of 4.5 x 3.5 m² is a reconstruction of its medieval predecessor in the same simple, ascetic style. At the base of the church is a crypt with the relics of monks discovered by archaeologists. The building stands at the edge of a cliff, just over a low retaining wall with a gap where there is the attachment of a metal staircase connecting the monastery to the outside world.
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Next to the church are monks’ cells and a wine cellar, where excavations revealed 8 large jugs without handles. In Georgia they are called “kvevri” and are used for storing or making wine.
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Monks start praying at 2:00 a.m. and finish at dawn. At 11:00 a.m., a modest lunch is served in the monastery’s refectory, after which obedience begins. The nuns are engaged in construction works, home improvement, taking care of bee hives or reading religious books from the monastery library. The land on the plateau is not fertile, but even in such conditions the monks manage to gradually transform the compact territory into an oasis, growing trees, fruit bushes, flowers.
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Actually about what is happening at the top of the pillar of Katshi, laymen can learn mainly only thanks to journalists, occasionally admitted to the holy monastery, from the few interviews of the abbot. For tourists who want to see the amazing natural and historical attraction, the area at the foot of the rock is accessible. Here there is a small church of Simeon the Stolpnik, a spring with water, houses-cells of monks, which can be viewed from the outside. A guest house with a museum is open, where archaeologists’ finds, photos from the excavation sites, ancient documents, household items of the monks are collected.
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At the base of the eastern part of the Katshi pillar is carved Bolnisi cross. The religious symbol, which has the shape of an isosceles cross with expanding arms, owes its name to the ancient Georgian temple Bolnisi Sion, which is located in the Kvemo-Kartli region. It is depicted on the facade of this structure. Bolnisi cross, common in Christian symbolism of late Antiquity and early Middle Ages is used as a national symbol of Georgia along with the cross of St. Nina. The cross carved in the smooth rock face, discovered by archaeologists, dates back to the V-VI centuries, and this testifies to the correctness of the statement that already in this period the Katshi pillar was a place of Christian worship.
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Practical information
At the foot of the Katshi pillar, near the guest house, a small store is open, offering religious souvenirs, candles, postcards with the image of the rock.
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It is advisable for women to bring a scarf and a long skirt. There is also an opportunity to use closed clothing – it is offered in the part of the complex accessible to tourists.
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On the map at the parking lot marked trails to the next mountain – long and short, more extreme. Tourists climb this elevation to take spectacular photos of the Katshi pillar.
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Travelers who wish to climb the plateau to visit the monastery complex need the blessing of Metropolitan of Chiatura and Sachkhere. Before climbing, they will also have to spend a certain amount of time in prayer and abstinence. In addition, due to the extreme ascent of the plateau, insurance will be required.
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How to get there
The village of Katskhi, near which the attraction is located, is located 11 km from the city of Chiatura, connected to Tbilisi by transportation. Every day, once an hour, shuttle buses depart from the capital’s Didube bus station to Chiatura. The fare is 6 GEL and you will spend about 3 hours on the way. Tourists usually hitchhike from this city to the Katshii Pillar.
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If you are traveling to Chiatura from Kutaisi, you can get off the shuttle bus at the turn to Katskhi and walk about 3 km to the Orthodox landmark.
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For those who travel by car, it is convenient to use the highway Tbilisi – Kutaisi. You need to drive to the town of Zestafoni, where there is a turn to Chiatura. After driving about 40 km, you will find yourself in the village Didi-Katskhi, behind it you can already see the village of Katskhi and the rock itself.
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There is an asphalted road leading from the village to the Katskhi pillar. You can leave your car in the parking lot, which is a 3-minute walk from the foot of the cliff. Those wishing to admire the magnificent landscapes leave their cars in the village and walk to the cliff on a narrow winding path leading upwards.
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