The Timatisubat Monastery (Timotesubani Monastery of the Holy Mother of God) was founded in 1195 at the initiative of Prince and military commander Shalva of Akhaltsikhe.
The cathedral was completed in 1215.
However, many elements of the church are uncharacteristic for that years.
One such feature is the entrance to the church. It is unique for Georgia for several reasons.
First, beyond the XII century portico begins a tunnel. The tunnel’s pointed arches are atypical for Orthodox churches and suggest Persian influence.
An even more surprising detail is the building material used for both the entrance and the church itself: brick. In the XII-XIII centuries, churches were typically built of stone.
Finally, the entrance is oddly offset. Traditional Orthodox churches are built in the shape of a cross, with the entrance located at the beginning of one of the arms. In the Timotesubani Monastery, the main entrance is situated west of its southern arm, which ends in a dead end.
Despite this, a second, more modest entrance (in the western arm) is designed in full accordance with architectural tradition.