Ishkhani

Ishkhani
Ishkhani monastery
Religion
Affiliation	Georgian Orthodox Church
Location
Location	işhan, Yusufeli district, Artvin Province, Turkey

Ishkani or Ishkhan (Georgian: იშხანი, Armenian: Իշխան, the name is originated from the Armenian word which is translated as "prince") is a ruined medieval Armenian church, later - Georgian monastery on the territory of modern Turkey (Artvin province). It was one of the important spiritual centers in the Middle Ages Tayk/Tao-Klarjeti. The first church was built by the Armenian catholicos Nerses III the Builder in the VII century , which himself was originally from the village of Ishkhan in Tayk, and is known as Nerses III Ishkhanetsi .

It had a tetraconch plan (a central dome with four apses radiating to the cardinal points) and was presumably damaged during the Arab invasions of the 7th century.

At the first half of the 8th century the church was abandoned after the Arab conquest, and Saba Ishkhneli (one of the followers of Gregory of Khandzta) renewed it in first decade of the 10th century. As mentioned in the medieval Georgian hagiography of Gregory of Khandzta "By God's will Saba became bishop of Ishkhan, with authority over the see and the cathedral church originally built by the blessed Nerses, Catholicos of Armenia, which had been left in desolate widowhood for many years. Now it was built again by the blessed Saba with the material aid of those pious princes, and Ishkhan began to flourish perpetually and for all time."

Sirarpie Der Nersessian assumes, "that the ninth-century restoration did not modify the original plan which imitated Zvart'nots; this restored church of Ishkhan probably served as a model for the neighboring church of Bana, erected half a century later" .