AN EVALUATİON OF THE TRADİTİONAL WOODEN MOSQUE
ARCHİTECTURE İN ADJARA REGİON AND THE CİKUNETİ MOSQUE
(ჩიქუნეთი ჯამე) İN THE TBİLİSİ OPEN-AİR ETHNOGRAPHY MUSEUM
ABSTRACT
Today, the Autonomous Republic of Adjara (Adjara), which is connected to the center of
Batumi, the autonomous region of Georgia; north and northeast in central Georgia, the Black
Sea in the west, the south is surrounded by Turkey's Artvin and Ardahan provinces. In this
region, as in the historical process, it is still today a major transit route such as the nature of
being in The Transcaucasia. In this geography where the slope and altitude are high depending
on the terrain shapes, the houses are scattered on the land as in the Eastern Black Sea Region.
In this geography where high the slope and altitude, as depending on the Earth shapes, the
houses are scattered to the land as in the Eastern Black Sea Region.
Adjara and its surrounding, which have a very old history, historically have been the scene of
different cultures such as Kolhis Kingdom, Greeks (Hellenes), Pontus, Romans, Lazika
(Curve), Aphases, Byzantines, Arabs, Bagrat, Seljuks, Samsthe Principality, Ottomans and
Russians. The first contacts of the Ottomans with the Georgians began during the reign of Fatih
Sultan Mehmet. With the abolition of the Trabzon Rum Empire in 1461, the Ottomans and
Georgians became two neighboring states. In 1508, Adjara Region was included in the Ottoman
Empire during the time of the Governor of Trabzon Yavuz Selim and later it was attached to
the Starboard of Trabzon. After the Georgian Expedition, Macahel (Camili) along with Batumi
and its surrounding passed into the Ottoman lands. In this process, the Adjara people who left
The Christianity and converted to The Islam became a Muslim people of the Ottoman Empire.
The region, which was the scene of the Ottoman-Safavid strife, has been dominated by the Russians since the 18th century. Adjara which remained under the Ottoman rule from the first
half of the 16th century until 1878 and became an important region reflecting this culture in
itself. There are many examples of wooden mosques built in the region during the Ottoman rule
and which have survived to the present day by preserving original qualities.
Examples of this wooden mosque in Adjara is possible to come across in region rural settlement
such as Hulo, Keda, Kobuleti, Helvaçaur of such Şuakhevi and Chokhatauri, Especially among
them;
In the Hulo region; Ghorjomi Mosque, Satsikhuri Mosque, Tago Mosque, Chao Mosque,
Khikhadziri Mosque, Zeda Tkhilvana Mosque, Kveda Tkhilvana Mosque, Phushrukauni
Mosque, Paksadzeebi Mosque, Beghleti Mosque, Riketi Mosque, Danisparauli Mosque
In the Keda region; Uchkhiti Mosque, Zundaga Mosque, Khokhna Mosque, Pirveli Maisi
(Sağoreti) Mosque, Kveda Agara Mosque, Medzibna Mosque, Akho Mosque, Gegelidzeebi
Mosque, Tskhmorisi Mosque, Hohna Mosque,
Shuakhevi region; Chvana Mosque, Nenia Mosque, Phurtio Mosque, Jabnidzeebi Mosque,
Kidnizidzeebi Mosque, Nigazeuli Mosque, Chanchalo Mosque, Dghvani Mosque, Gogadzeebi
Mosque, Kviakhidzeebi Mosque, Goginauri Mosque, Matskvalta Mosque, Makhalakidzeebi
Mosque, Shchabani Mosque
In the Kobuleti region; Kvirike Mosque is available.
Examples of the wooden mosque; mainly located in the village areas and built with were built
with timber-framing technique. The mosques of the region show close similarities with the
Eastern Black Sea Region mosques, which have geographical and historical proximity both in
terms of design and construction techniques and decoration details. After briefly mentioning
the examples of the wooden mosques mentioned above, the Çikuneti Mosque, which was built
by the Muslims of Adjara, which is being exhibited in the Adjara Corner of the Tbilisi
Ethnography Museum of the National Museum of Georgia will be introducing as detail.
Çikuneti Mosque, which was neglected and abandoned in 1973, was brought from Çikuneti
Village of Khelvachauri District of Adjara in 1975 and was rebuilt in 1977 in the ethnography
museum, adhering to its original condition and original texture. It’s according to inscription, Hijri 1251 / Miladi 1836 the Çikuneti Mosque which thought to be the work of Laz Masters; stone based built with timber-framing technique. and built with chestnut tree. The mosque, which has a rectangular plan, was built as flat wooden ceilings and
wooden columns. Parallel to the Qibla wall, above of the harim which consists of a single sahn,
is covered with a broken roof covered with tiles from the outside. In terms of its general
characteristics, the mosque reflects the characteristics of traditional wooden mosques in Adjara.
Key Words: Georgia, Adjara, Khelvachauri, The Ottoman, Wooden Mosque, Museum