Churches and Monasteries

Aparani Church of Saint George, Martkopi is located on Vaziani-Martkopi-Norio road, some 30 km from Tbilisi. Our must-go destination for apple twigs around Easter time. Seems this area is nice for some barbeque too. Here is some info I found about this place in Georgian: The single-nave, hall-type church is a late medieval monument. Aparani church near Martkopi The surviving foundation in front of it suggests that in ancient times a larger church stood here. The church was built by Dito…

Piltene Lutheran church is located in Piltene, some 20km from Ventspils. The church was originally built-in 1557. The pride of the Piltene church is gilded wooden altar and pulpit, organ with 9 stops, wooden images of XII century Apostles, benches, and separate lodges with doors with kettle-hinges. I first discovered the Pitlene church at the sart of 2021, while doing random wanderings in the area Pitlene church from a drone flight The church was built in 1557. During the Great Northern…

Martkopi monastery complex is located some 30km from Tbilisi, Georgia. This place is best reached by car, but some could get here by hiking too, see: Hiking Route in Georgia - Norio Village - Martkopi Monastery Filmed with DJI Mavic Mini on September 23, 2020, Post-production in Adobe Premiere PRO Martkopi monastery complex, located just some 30km from Tbilisi I was told - they are sheltering some 100 people here. That's the true spirit of Church! First discovered back in 2017, returned here…

Saint Simon's Church in Valmiera is one of the most noticeable objects in the city, located in the heart of the city on Bruņinieku iela 2. The architecture of St Simon's Church combines the Romanesque and Gothic styles. The church boasts 15th-16th century burial plaques of the city's notables, a pipe organ built in 1886 by a well-known European organ builder Friedrich Ladegast, and paintings on the pulpit and the organ loft made back in 1730. The church tower accommodates an exhibition space,…

The Embūte church is located in the Embūte Nature park, nowadays, there are just remains left from the old day glory. It was in a hazy December 2020 afternoon, I took my DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone and made some nice aerial photography and even a video here, see Embūte Nature Park 4K. Ancient Curonian Land. Latvia . DJI MAVIC AIR 2 Embūte church Here is what I was able to find about this church (source: Embūtes baznīcas drupas) The Embūte church was built from 1674 to 1684, financed by the then…

Apriķi church is located in the Apriķi village, Laža parish, Aizpute district in the Western part of Latvia (Courland). Apriķi church is considered to be the pearl of Courland sacral art because the glory of its indoor interior is remembered by every visitor.  Apriķi Lutheran Church The stone church is built on Apriķi manor house land as Osten-Sakenu private church in the beginning of 17th century.  The church got its glorious blue-white and golden coloured interior in the middle of the…

The St Nicholas Naval Cathedral is a Russian Orthodox cathedral church located in Karosta in the north of Liepāja, Latvia. I have visited this cathedral just a couple of times, but always have been impressed by the glory of the place.  It was at the start of November 2020, I got my new DJI Mavic Air 2 drone and I wanted to make some nice aerography, as we happened to be in the area, it was agreed to film and photograph this cathedral St Nicholas Naval Cathedral in Liepāja The cathedral…

Sapara Monastery is a Georgian Orthodox monastery located in the Akhaltsikhe District of Samtskhe-Javakheti region, Georgia. I had a chance to visit this monastery at the end of September 2020 and capture really awesome drone photography / catching colors of the fall Sapara monastery from a drone flight It has existed from at least the 9th century, and has numbered among its monks many important figures in Georgian ecclesiastical history. At the end of the 13th century Sapara became a…

The Lower Bethlemi Church, also known as the Church of Saint Stepanos of the Holy Virgins is a church in Tbilisi, Georgia. Built as an Armenian church, it now operates as a Georgian orthodox church. Discovered by accident while hiking from other, Holy Mother of God Church of Bethlehem, Tbilisi at the end of August 2020.  Made some drone photography here Lower Bethlehemi Church

Holy Mother of God Church of Bethlehem also now known as the Upper Bethlehem Church, is a church in Tbilisi, Georgia. Built as an Armenian church in the 18th century, on the site of an older church, it now operates as a Georgian orthodox church. Discovered by accident while hiking from Mother Georgia monument in mid-August 2020. Returned here a week later to take some aerial photography with a drone. Holy Mother of God Church of Bethlehem, Tbilisi There are at least 3 roads how to get here…