Oskvank - Oshki Monastery & Church The historic Oshki Oskvank Monastery is situated in the village of Çamlıyamaç, within today’s Erzurum province. It was originally constructed in the ancient region of Tao during the second half of the 10th century. The monastery’s principal church, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, was built between 963 and 973. During the medieval period, the Oshki Monastery served as a major hub for Georgian culture and literary activity. It is widely recognized as “one of the most monumental and architecturally sophisticated buildings ever produced in the Eastern Christian world.” The construction of the Oshki complex was commissioned by Grand Duke (later King) Bagrat II of Tao, along with David III of Tao. One of the most striking architectural elements of the monastery is its series of decorative blind arches. These arches run along the exterior walls on the eastern, southern, and northern sides of the Oshki church and represent an excellent early example of facade blind arch decoration. Aligned in a rhythmic pattern across the facade, the arches are enhanced with bas-reliefs placed at their center. The primary face of the Oshki church, the southern facade, is especially notable for its central bas-reliefs in high relief, prominently positioned above the central arch. These sculptural elements rise from the surface and illustrate an eagle grasping a beast in its claws — a likely emblem of triumph — along with the figures of archangels Michael and Gabriel, symbolizing divine victory and celestial guardianship. The Bagrationi dynasty, rulers of the historic Tao region, included distinguished hereditary figures such as Bagrat eristavi and David magistros, who acted as noble patrons and symbolic representations of celestial power. The depictions of the archangels are notable for their refined proportions and graceful movement, offering a dynamic contrast to the more rigid, formal poses typically seen in earlier donor imagery. This expressive style also appears in the sculpted deesis compositions near the southern facade and on a column within the southern gallery. The intricate ornamentation of the Oshki church is enhanced by low reliefs, typical of a transitional stage in Georgian art from the 8th to the 10th centuries, when traditional artistic approaches were gradually giving way to newer forms. It is believed that the church’s construction involved several generations of artisans who slowly adopted evolving techniques. The design elements at Oshki already hint at features that would become prominent in the 11th century. If you have any questions or need additional information about the Oskvank – Oshki Monastery & Church, please feel free to contact us at [email protected] or simply message us via Whatsapp. We’ll be happy to assist you as soon as possible.