Abanoeti ( ka, აბანოეთი), formerly also known as Mikartsminda (მიქარწმინდა), is a

village A village is a human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand. Although villages are often located in rural areas, the term urban v ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

’s northern

Ambrolauri Municipality The Ambrolauri Municipality ( ka, ამბროლაურის მუნიციპალიტეტი, tr) is a Municipalities of Georgia (country), self-governing subdivision in western Georgia (country), Georgia. Its governing bodies ar ...

(

Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti ( ka, რაჭა-ლეჩხუმი და ქვემო სვანეთი, ''Rach’a-Lechkhumi da Kvemo Svaneti'' ) is a region (mkhare) in northwestern Georgia (country), Georgia with a population o ...

region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...

) with a population 102 (2014). It is located about west of the municipal center

Ambrolauri Ambrolauri ( ka, ამბროლაური ) is a city in Georgia, located in the northwestern part of the country, on both banks of the Rioni river, at an elevation of 550 m above sea level. The city serves as the seat of the Racha-Lechkhumi ...

, at an elevation of above sea level on a hill overlooking the

Rioni River The Rioni ( ka, რიონი ; , ) is the main river of western Georgia. It originates in the Caucasus Mountains, in the region of Racha and flows west to the Black Sea, entering it north of the city of Poti (near ancient Phasis). The city ...

. It is part of the Bugeuli administrative community (თემი, temi) that includes 5 more nearby villages.

Mikartsminda Monastery

The historic name of Abanoeti is Mikartsminda (Georgian: ka, მიქარწმინდა), named after a 10th-century monastery that stood once here. Named after

Archangel Michael Michael, also called Saint Michael the Archangel, Archangel Michael and Saint Michael the Taxiarch is an archangel and the warrior of God in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The earliest surviving mentions of his name are in third- and second ...

, the monastery is one of the oldest monuments of Georgian architecture. Of the monastery itself, however, only the foundation remains. On the once walled site is currently the St. Michael Archangel Church, which also originally dates from the 10th century. This was rebuilt in the 18th century, and was one of the largest

Hall church A hall church is a Church (building), church with a nave and aisles of approximately equal height. In England, Flanders and the Netherlands, it is covered by parallel roofs, typically, one for each vessel, whereas in Germany there is often one s ...

es in

Racha Racha (also Račha, , ''Račʼa'') is a highland area in western Georgia, located in the upper Rioni river valley and hemmed in by the Greater Caucasus mountains. Under Georgia's current subdivision, Racha is included in the Racha-Lechkhumi and ...

. The old church was distinguished, according to historiography, for its unique frescoes and shrines. The current church was last restored in 2012.

Demographics

According to the 2014 census, Abanoeti had a population of 102 at that time, and all are ethnic

Georgians Georgians, or Kartvelians (; ka, ქართველები, tr, ), are a nation and Peoples of the Caucasus, Caucasian ethnic group native to present-day Georgia (country), Georgia and surrounding areas historically associated with the Ge ...

References

{{Reflist Populated places in Ambrolauri Municipality