GeorgiaOfficial tourism
Krikhi Church of the Archangels

Stone angels in Racha's hidden hills

Krikhi Church of the Archangels

Why go

Krikhi Church of the Archangels perches on a forested slope above the Rioni River, a 10th–11th-century hall church that escaped the grand rebuilding programs of later centuries. Its unassuming stone walls shelter rare early medieval relief sculptures—archangels and ornamental crosses carved with the rough confidence of the period—preserved in situ where few travelers venture. The church embodies the dispersed, valley-by-valley spread of Christianity in medieval Racha, a region whose inaccessibility protected its monuments. The journey rewards those who seek authenticity over polish: no paved approach, no entrance fee, only silence, crumbling fresco traces, and the sense that Georgia's layered past remains quietly undisturbed.

On the ground See

  • The 10th–11th-century stone relief of the Archangel Michael on the south wall, among the earliest figural sculpture surviving in Racha
  • The original window openings with carved stone crosses in their tympana, showing pre-Gothic Georgian lighting design
  • The overgrown approach trail through mixed forest above the Rioni gorge, offering views toward the Lechkhumi ridge

Practical Know before you go

Best visited May–October; reachable by unpaved track from the Krikhi village turnoff on the Ambrolauri–Lentekhi road, 4WD recommended after rain.

Last reviewed 25 August 2026 · reviewed quarterly