“North of Ujarma and east of the Iori, stands Bochorma fortress. From Bochorma to Ujarma there is a strong, mountainous, rocky valley, which used to be covered with buildings and churches. And Bochorma was built by the wife of Kartlos, who gave it the name Dedatsikhe (Mother or Main Fortress). It is set on a high rock, from where there is a spring running. The building is very large and strong…“ (Prince Vakhushti).
One of the biggest fortifications in Kakheti – Bochorma Fortress is situated in the Iori valley on the Tsiv-Gombori Pass. Initially, the fortress was part of the protection line of Ujarma. When the Arabs invaded Georgia at the beginning of the 10th c, their commander was impressed by the strength of the Bochorma Fortress walls. In the next century, during his fight to unify Georgia, King Bagrat III took a year to overcome the fortress. Bochorma Fortress has been repaired several times. In the middle of the 18th c it was substantially strengthened by King Erekle II who placed a large royal cannon inside.
Saint George’s Church at Bochorma is situated inside the inner fortress, and built in the 10th c. This “six-apse“ church, one of only five in Georgia, is constructed with six rounded spaces – the apses – placed around the domed center. Three six-apse churches are found in Goguba, Kiaghmisalti and Oltisi, which are in Tao-Klarjeti (presently on the territory of Turkey), while the fourth is in Katskhi, Imereti. (In 1923 during anti-religious campaigns, the church was blown up by the Bolsheviks which destroyed a large portion of the dome. Today only one facade survives)
The wall painting of Bochorma Church is one of the most splendid examples of Georgian mural painting of the 11th – 12th centuries. However, only fragments of it have survived. Scholars believe that the donor represented in the mural must be King David the Builder.
Prince Bagrat (1776-1841) narrates that in the year of 1800 King George XII expressed his desire “to emboss an icon of St. George, the great martyr, known to be from Bochorma, who lies in the Church of Saint Martyr Queen Ketevan in Telavi. It was set with jewels and healed the sick and the feeble, and the souls of the malicious. On removing its silver cover they found the Saint’s arm hidden under his chest. The King had it embossed luxuriously, and had the relic placed back into the icon.“