Location Karachay-Cherkessia Architectural type Church Architectural style Byzantine architecture | Affiliation Christian Groundbreaking 914 Number of domes 1 | |
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North Church (Russian: Северный Зеленчукский храм), is an early 10th-century Alanian church located in Arkhyz (Russian: Архыз), a mountainous region of Karachay-Cherkessia.
History
North Church served as the Cathedral of the Alanian Empire during the 10th -13th centuries. The church was constructed using sandstone. The plan has the shape of a cross. The length of the church without narthex is 21 meters.
Some of the frescoes of the late 19th century were painted by DM Strukov. Fragments of ancient plaster, already without the paint layer, have been preserved during the restoration of the walls of the church. According to v. a. Kuznetsov North Church was perhaps constructed from 914-916 and was dedicated to St. Nicholas the miracle worker. Inside the church are an ancient baptistery, altar, and cemetery near the south wall.