ქართული ისლამური არქიტექტურის ნიმუშები ქვაბლიანის ხეობაში - კოსმოპოლიტურისა და ეროვნულის სინთეზი

Abstract

Islamic architecture of Kvabliani Gorge is one of the notable examples of less studied cultural heritage of the South Georgia. For example, in comparison to the mosques of Adjara, there is much less academic interest and significantly less research of the Islamic architecture of Kvabliani Gorge. Almost all mosques of Samtskhe region from the late 19th and early 20th c.c. are in bad condition and none of them has been renovated up to this day. Scientific literature regarding this topic is also scarce, besides a few recent popular publications. Therefore, Islamic religious buildings of Samtskhe remain a less known phenomenon for the Georgian public. This can be explained by the political situation during the Soviet times that did not promote the research of the Islamic heritage in Georgia. National issue of the “Meskhetian Turks” made this topic even more untouched and obscure. This article is dedicated to the artistic peculiarity of several such mosques. One can trace synthesis of Georgian national elements, stylistic signs of Islamic cosmopolitanism and modern European tendencies in these buildings. Standards of Islamic religious structures in Samtskhe region of Georgia undergoes a certain transformation and shapes itself to a quite original phenomenon.