Nino Bagrationi Giorgi Bagrationi	Giorgi Bagrationi Gia Shervashidze

Commonly referred to as ‘gurcu kilise’, the small church at Ani survives in ruins. Located in front of the Porch of the Lions, near the fire temple, it was a hall-type church built of neatly cut square stone. The interior was divided into three parts by means of shafts and an arcade. The ground floor accommodates an arched crypt. At present, nothing but the north wall survives. The church ground was excavated by N. Marr who later published the findings of the work. In the ruins of the south wall he discovered a stone carved with a longinscription which is now missing. The inscription of thirty lines belonged to Catholicos Epiphane of Mtskheta and mentionedthe solution of a conflict between the residents of Ani and the Church and the imposition of taxes. The inscription is dated to 1218 due to which the construction of the church was assigned to the 13^th century. However, the inscription does not provide any information as to the period of construction. I. Giviashvili suggested that the church functioned as a personal chapel of Queen Mariam, because of which its walls were used for placing the messages of the Bishop of Mtskheta. The church must therefore be assigned to the latter half of the 11^th century.

There are two bas-relief compositions under the arches on the north wall of the church. These are the Visitationand the Annunciation accompanied with explanatory inscriptions in Asomtavruli (majuscule) script.

Smaller inscriptions in the same crypt inscised in stone can also be observed on the exterior wall of the church.