The bell tower

The bell tower, just a few meters southeast of the main building, consists of a ground floor with a small chapel. The ground floor is constructed with plain stones, with no ornament apart from a cross on the front wall. The second floor serves as the belfry with arched openings supported by massive columns.

Although the bell tower was most probably constructed during the late 15th or early 16th century, so a long time after the basilica, the style is clearly influenced by Romanesque architecture, as you can see in the semi-circular openings on the second floor.     

Picture credits: beyondarts GmbH

Project “Increased regional added value in the tourism sectors of Georgia by Digital Heritage Tourism Guides” was funded by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) with funds of Austrian Development Cooperation.