Betania

church with a cupola; a typical example of Georgjan architecture at the turn of the 13th century; located in a gorge of the Vere River 20 km from Tbilisi.

The ground plan of Betania is rectangular with a high drum pierced by 12 windows with carved frames and a dome under a conical roof. The facades, which are faced with hewn stone, have carved window platbands, circles, and a cruciform composition. The interior has a wall painting (beginning of the 13th century) that includes portraits of George III, Queen Tamara, and George Lasha. On the south side a portico with an eight-arched carved vault adjoins the temple; the remnants of a more ancient structure are on the west side of the temple. A hall church (1196) is west of Betania.