The Gudzhabi monastery is situated at the Marneuli area, near the village Akh-Kerpi at a distance of 800 meters. The road is asphalted except the last small piece on which there is an asphalt laying. Akh-Kerpi is the big village and also consists about 500 families. The district of the Gudzhabi monastery is amazingly beautiful. The monastery is fenced by  the deciduous wood, proceeds inflow of the river Bolnisi in the same place.

The monastery is built by Georgians, on the Georgian construction traditions, is in borders of the republic Georgia. It confirms the reference book, "The cultural monuments to the Georgian SSR taken under protection of the state", published in 1959 by the Ministry of Culture of the Georgian SSR and department of preservation and restoration of cultural heritage (see p. 80 cultural monuments of Marneuli). Also "the Atlas of the Georgian Socialist Republic", published in 1964 by Scientific Academy of the Georgian SSR Institute of Geography of Vakhushti (see the card 267-268).

The monastery became empty after the next invasion of the enemy when they destroyed all priests. In 1905 formed there convent of the Russian orthodox church which functioned till 1935. This year its brutal was crushed (the reason isn't clear) and from the monastery expelled conventuals. Conventuals took cover in the village Akh-Kerpi and in the same place lodged. Subsequently they suited a house of worship and a cell, in improper conditions. Pavel's Mother Superior who was  in the monastery and witnessed all those events told about all this. In 1905 she was the nun of Gudzhabi convent.

As for the Gudzhabi monastic complex, it should be noted that it is in a deplorable state. Main church of the monastery, name of the most Saint Nino, XIII century. It a structure also demands dome type immediate restoration which needs to be carried out without fail that to rescue a monument from destruction. Overlapping is damaged, it is necessary to repair a dome, there are signs of deliberate damage of a cathedral., on a temple threshold crossing points there, where in the Georgian churches vast inscriptions become, the stone plate is broken out. Especially will punish the Georgian unique ornaments round a dome and windows, and also, the finest big cross which is cut out on Cain on all height of a wall.

It should be noted accurately, the project of restoration of the monastery of St. Nino, it is developed in special headquarters of the union the enterprise, for protection and restoration of monuments at Council of ministers of the Georgian SSR long ago, but is in non-acted state in the aforesaid union.

The monastic complex includes one more church … it like a basilica also is constructed in the early Middle Ages, i.e. early, than church of St. Nino. It has to be dated the V-VI centuries. It even more in bad condition, than is higher the specified church of dome type because there were only four walls. Attendants of convent in Akh - Kerpi demanded this basilica to be arrange there a house of worship.

It is necessary to mention a refectory in the Gudzhabi monastic complex. In due time, probably, it was the big building that points to a large number of the Holy Fathers serving there. And now there were only four walls.

In the territory of the monastery traces still of many buildings, probably, it is the remains of different economic constructions. Among them one hopelessly damaged house in which, there was a cell of convent in due time differs.

MIKHEIL VARAZASHVILI

1988