Church of St. Barbara

The Church of St. Barbara is one of the most interesting and unusual Orthodox shrines of the city, the history of which is closely connected with the military and cultural life of the region. The temple was founded in 1888 at a military hospital on the initiative and with the support of Emperor Alexander III, which emphasizes its special significance for the city and all of Adjara.

Initially, the church served as a spiritual center for the military and their families. In 1906, the temple was solemnly consecrated, but services in Georgian were not held for a long time. At the beginning of the 20th century, the church was transferred to the military department, and during the Soviet period, its fate was difficult: the building was used for other purposes and partially lost its original appearance.

In 1996, after the demolition of the old hospital, a new church building was built on the initiative and with the support of the head of Adjara, Aslan Abashidze. On April 7, 1997, on the feast of the Annunciation, the Church of the Holy Great Martyr Barbara was reopened and consecrated by Bishop Dimitry of Batumi and Skhalta. Today, the church is a modest but well-kept building where services are held regularly and where both locals and tourists come with pleasure.