Ancient Structures in the CIS region
 
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Structures from the first through the fifteenth century AD can be found in many places throughout the CIS region.  Many have been maintained or restored over the years to preserve the evidence and beauty of the early architecture and artwork.  Many churches were hewn from solid rock, or were structures partly built from brick and partly carved from the solid rock of a hillside.  Most are beautifully decorated with frescoes and carved arches and doorways.
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First century residents lived in 
these cavelike dwellings.		 Thumbnail2 
Sections of the roof and walls 
have broken off this large 
meeting room.		 Thumbnail3 
The population of this town 
swelled to several thousand  
during the first and second 
centuries. 
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Then, during the third 
century, Ghengis Kahn 
attacked and destroyed  
the settlement. 
 
 
Individual dwellings had  
beautiful views from  
windows cut through  
the solid rock.  
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Over the next 17 centuries 
the site was home for many 
people, until it finally 
deteriorated and was 
abandoned.		 Thumbnail5 
 This church entrance 
is a part of the same  
structure seen in the top left 
picture of this page.		  
Many monasteries 
were carved out of  
solid rock.  These 
rooms were often 
decorated with 
arches and niches.
 
Most of these structures 
are decorated with 
beautifully done frescoes. 
These are usually painted 
with all natural pigments 
created from natural 
ingredients, such as berries, 
finely ground earth, and 
animal fats. 
 		  
This picture does not even 
begin to do justice to the 
incredible hues and  
brilliance of this painting 
representing God and 
his son looking down on  
the earth.		  
This painting has suffered 
from water damage, but 
will likely be restored 
some day. 
 		  
This road, carved 
from solid rock during 
the first century,  
includes a "water trough" 
for livestock or horses. 
The cave dwellings also 
had such "tubs" carved 
from the solid rock floors.
 This city, surrounded by
great walls (see next picture
for a remnant) was equipped
with a 300 foot long tunnel
that allowed protected access
to the river below.
The small segment of 
the city wall structure remains.
 
 
Another wall section.  These walls were from 6 to 15 feet
thick, and some had 
dwellings built into them!
Acres of solid sandstone
provided the foundations for this city carved from solid rock.

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