The Aspara legend

On the east banks of Paravani Lake, in the small village of Aspara, you can find the ruins of an ancient church. There is a mystical story connected to the remains of this church. 

According to legend, a young man, who lived on the other side of the lake, probably near the village of Paravani, fell desperately in love with an Asparic girl. As he could only meet her at night, he always had to swim across the lake to meet his love. The young woman always lit a candle on the tower of the church so the swimmer would find his way.

But one night another woman, who did not want the two lovers to get together, extinguished the candle and the young man lost his way. He fought against the water for a long time, but finally had to give in and drowned in the waves of Paravani Lake.

The ruins of the church in Aspara still stand as a symbol for this tragic love, which is preserved in many villages of the Javakheti region in the form of poems and legends.

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.