Patriarchal cathedral

The Patriarchal Cathedral in Pitsunda was founded at the beginning of the X century during the reign of Bagrat III - the great Georgian king from the Bagration dynasty. It was built in honor of St. Andrew the First-Called. In the middle of the X century, the monastery became the chair of the Abkhazian Catholicos. The consecration of bishops and the election of Catholicos-Patriarchs of Abkhazia were held here. In the XI - XV centuries the temple was repeatedly rebuilt. At the beginning of the XVII century, the Cathedral of Abkhazia was moved to Gelati under threat of attack from the Turks, and the cathedral was abandoned.

At the end of the XIX century, the monastery was rebuilt and consecrated in honor of the Assumption of the Virgin. The Patriarchal Cathedral belongs to the type of three-nave, three-apse and cross-domed temples. It was built of brick and stone, there is a certain pattern in the distribution of these materials. From the basement, the walls of the cathedral are composed of exceptionally large stone blocks, and its masonry has a mixed character - rows of stone alternate with brick layers.

Inside the temple, in its western part, there is a tomb in which there are two huge tombs arranged by the apostles Simon Cananite and Andrew the First-Called, as evidenced by two frescoes with images of saints.