If you’re new here, you should know I absolutely love abandoned places.
I really thought I was ~not like other girls~ in high school because while most teenagers spend their Friday nights drinking Tito’s in someone’s basement, I used to visit the abandoned paper mill factory with my friend Finn to take photos. I suppose now is the time I should preemptively apologize to my mother — at least I wasn’t going alone, right?
Years later, the desire to explore forgotten places is still very much with me — to the point where I actively seek out unique abandoned spots almost everywhere I go. There’s something about a place left behind that fascinates me, and now as a professional photographer, I still find myself drawn to buildings left to the elements.
Before my recent trip to Georgia, I’d read about the abandoned Karmir Avetaran Church and knew I had to add it to my list. The next thing I knew, I was sitting on the second story of Karmir Avetaran, watching the sun set over Tbilisi from this crumbling piece of history.
A Brief History of Karmir Avetaran Church
Karmir Avetaran, meaning “Purple Gospel,” has been a piece of the Tbilisi skyline since 1775. The original church had no roof — the inside simply covered with a large tree. When we consider Karmir Avetaran’s current state, this piece of history feels like a strange foreshadowing.
With the building fully completed in 1809, Karmir Avetaran quickly became a landmark of Tbilisi, at one point even being the tallest standing building in the Georgian capital. However, the building quickly became shrouded in mystery, as secrecy seemed to follow it at every step.
Once home to many valuable relics of St. Garabed, the church was robbed in 1858, with the thieves never caught and the relics never recovered. Only a few years later, large cracks began to form along the walls, though at the time, the church administration deemed them to be mainly cosmetic. However, by 1937, the church had begun so structurally unsound that it was shut down completely.
Despite the crumbling façade, the residents of the Avlabari neighborhood in which the church is located continued to use the building. First, the walls were home to a bakery, then a boxing gym, and then finally a space for artists studios. Still, the building maintained it’s mysterious quality — the bread refused to rise, the walls made strange sounds, and eventually the entire western part of church collapsed in a 1989 earthquake. Eyewitnesses of the event reportedly heard a “powerful explosion resound from the interior of the church,” and to this day, some swear the church was purposefully “blown up.”
In the aftermath of the explosion, many members of the community pulled church decorations from the rubble and placed them in the yard of the nearby St. Gevorg Church. One of such decorations was a large domed cross, which once stood in the nave of Karmir Avetaran, but disappeared from St. Gevorg without a trace.
Since the collapse, the Armenian community in Tbilisi has advocated many times to repair the building, but at present, no plans for renovation have been approved. As such, the Karmir Avetaran Armenian Church rests crumbling beside the Mtkvari River, a reminder of the many people who have called the building home.
Visiting the Karmir Avetaran Church
Visiting the Karmir Avetaran Church is an easy walk from Old Town Tbilisi. Located in Tbilisi’s Avlabari neighborhood, home to a large Armenian population, the building is accessible from Feristsvaleba Street through a stone opening on the side that I believe to be a former window. The entrance is a couple feet off the ground so you’ll need to give yourself a little boost to get in. Here’s the exact location on Google Maps.
My friend Spark is a professional parkour athlete, so he eagerly joined me on this exploration. If you notice someone in mid-air in these photos, that’d be him. Check him out on YouTube, his content is awesome.
Once inside the church, you’ll note a large crack down the center of the back wall where the earthquake practically split the building in two. The church is practically open air at this point, with sweeping views Tbilisi and the Mtkvari River from the open side. There are plenty of boulders to explore for better views and hidden corners to photograph.
The best views are from the second story of the building. If you’re looking at the crack up the back wall, head towards enclave on the right side of the building and you’ll find a small staircase through the rock to the second story. Note that this staircase is rather dark, so I’d recommend bringing a flashlight or using your phone light to watch were you’re going. Once you’re on the second story, the footing is sturdy as long as you’re not wandering too close to the edge. There are several small rooms to explore, but my favorite spot was right in the middle with epic views of the Tbilisi skyline.
Know Before You Go
Obviously, whenever you’re visiting abandoned places, explore with caution. Be wary of your footing and don’t step on anything that looks visibly unstable. I usually opt for long pants and closed toed shoes when exploring abandoned places to help protect me from hazards like broken glass or loose wires. The footing at Karmir Avetaran is stable but rocky, so watch your step to avoid loose rocks and uneven ground.
You’ll see plenty of graffiti at Karmir Avetaran Church, but please, please, please do not contribute to it. As a general rule of thumb for any abandoned place you visit, please leave it as you found it, meaning not to leave anything or take anything from the premises.
Lastly, remember that this is a former place of worship and a significant site for many people in Tbilisi. As such, please be respectful when exploring. Aim to leave the building as you found it, and educate yourself on the place you’re exploring before visiting.
Have you visited the Karmir Avetaran Armenian Church? What was your experience?
Do you also love abandoned places? Click here to view all of my articles about my abandoned explorations around the world, or keep exploring Georgia below.
Virginia Taylor (Ginna) is a travel writer and photographer exploring the world until her boots wear through. She’s currently on a mission to explore all 32 departments of Colombia, though she formerly called the Middle East home. Want to know more? Visit the About Page.
I love exploring ruins, so this is right up my alley! I’ll definitely be visiting when I finally make it to Georgia 🙂
Georgia is full of cool off-the-beaten-track spots and abandoned places! I hope you get to visit some day soon! 🙂
Those ruins are so interesting! Amazing that it hasn’t crumbled even more. Thanks for showing me a place I didn’t know about and telling me some of its history.
I know right, it’s amazing how well it’s held together after all the years!
Very interesting post! It’s always very informative about the story behind abandoned buildings
Thanks so much for reading! 🙂 I’m glad you liked it!
Wow this looks so cool! And I love how you have been exploring abandoned places since high school!
I grew up in Richmond, VA so there was plenty to explore always! This was one of my favorite places I’ve explored!
Such an interesting post! I love discovering hidden gems and Georgia seems to have several of them. Did you rent a vehicle or use public transportation to access this place?
Georgia is full of amazing hidden gems, I absolutely loved it! Honestly, Tbilisi is one of the most walkable and easily navigable cities I’ve ever encountered, I walked almost everywhere or took the metro/bus. Taxis are also super affordable and reliable so it’s easy to get anywhere you want to go without a car!