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Katskhi is a monolithic pillar 40 meters high that stands majestically in the middle of the village of Katskhi, in the western Imereti region of Georgia, about 10 km from the mining town of Chiatura.
With the arrival of Christianity in Georgia in the 14th century, the Katskhi stone pillar became a mysterious place and a secluded retreat for monks. Locals called Katskhi the "Pillar of Life".
At the summit of Katskhi stands a small church, built between the 6th and 8th centuries. This church may have been built by ascetic hermits living in seclusion on the rock pillars. They were among the first Christians to reach the summit of Katskhi to pray.
A record of the Katskhi stone column, compiled by a Georgian scholar, states that the church was once inaccessible. However, many disagree with this conclusion, with one revealing that, in fact, a long chain, approximately 1.5 km from the column, connects to the dome of the church atop Katskhi.
KKatskhi was first accessed by researchers in 1944. Further systematic studies have been conducted since 1990. Researchers have concluded that the church on Katskhi served both as a place of prayer for monks and as a residence for those living in seclusion.
In 2007, a small stone slab with 13th-century Georgian inscriptions was discovered. This slab revealed that the architect of the three-chambered church atop Katskhi was "Giorgi".
The church on top of Katskhi is currently being restored, and climbing to the summit is now quite easy via an iron ladder connecting the base of the stone column to the top.
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