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AbkhaziaWhat to Expect and Is It Worth Visiting
Mokva Cathedral of the assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - a very old functioning temple and architectural sights of Abkhazia. Built in the 10th century AD by the Abkhazian King Leon III in honor of the Dormition of the mother of God.
According to legend, King Leon refused to pay the architect for the construction of the temple under the pretext that the surrounding area is poorly visible from the dome of the temple. When the architect climbed the dome of the temple to prove otherwise, the king ordered the stairs to be removed. The architect died of starvation at the top, unable to descend.
Whatever the legend, history says that in the 17th century the temple was abandoned and looted by the Turks, all the valuables were taken out of Abkhazia. Reconstruction of the temple began only in the middle of the 19th century, as a result of which the general form of the temple was preserved, but all the ancient elements, paintings, mosaics, were removed. In Soviet times, the temple was again closed and looted. He returned to the church only in 2002, and today it is a functioning church.
🕐 Working hours
during daytime.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price
free.
🚶 How to get there
the temple is located in the Ochamchira district in the village of Mokva (Mokvi) away from the popular resorts of Abkhazia, 60 kilometers from Sukhum (Mokwa temple on the map. You can get here only on your own transport or with a tour. It is convenient to visit the temple on the way to the caves Abrskil and Otap's head in the village of Otap.
💥 We remind you that it is much more interesting to get acquainted with the sights of Abkhazia with the help of excursions, and therefore we advise you to look at options with online booking on these proven search and comparison sites price: