Archeological Research of Durujispira Basilica
In the book shop "Ligamus" On December 10, Ilia State University College of Engineering's group of professors and students presented the results of archeological research on newly discovered basilica in Kvareli region. The leader of expedition Nodar Bakhtadze talked about the process of discovery and research. Expedition was financed by the National Agency for Cultural Heritage.
As Nodar Bakhtadze said, Durujispira ("Dolochopis") Basilica was not studied before these works archeologically. It presented the ruins preserved in the forest on the bank of the river Duruji, in the "Dolochopi" district and talking about its function was not convincingly possible. 
During this year, after performing wide scale archeological excavations it became clear that this building has absolutely unique importance for Georgian Church Architecture. It was discovered that this basilica is divided into three boats with 5 pair columns. Durujispira Basilica is the biggest and oldest from the other basilicas known in Georgia. For example, it exceeds Bolnisis Sioni Basilica with 8 meters in the length and it is built half a century earlier. According to the archaic architectural elements found during the excavations this basilica is more close to the first Christian basilicas of Roman-Byzantine type and presumably its model is taken from this world known basilicas in the first half of Vth century. It has to be mentioned that involving students in this type of expeditions will continue in the next year as well. This will take traditional character - on Durujispira Basilica there still are left unstudied parts.