An Orthodox church located in the valley of the Psyrtskhi River near the city of New Athos in Abkhazia, in the Gudauta region of the partially recognized Republic of Abkhazia. The Temple of Simon the Canaanite is located above the place of his burial. First, in the 4th century, a small wooden church appeared here, and then, in the 10th century, during the prosperity of the Abkhazian kingdom and the establishment of Christianity, it was replaced by a beautiful white limestone temple. This is a three-apse cross-domed composition, where the central apse is pentagonal and the side projections are semicircular. This temple can rightfully be considered a masterpiece of church architecture in Abkhazia from the early Middle Ages, the architectural school of the Caucasus, which absorbed Greek (Byzantine) traditions.

The outside of the temple is very beautiful, it’s a pity that we couldn’t go inside it, it was closed. I hope I can visit next time. Thank you God!🙏

A wonderful place, be sure to visit it! One of the best places in Abkhazia. Beautiful nature, calm atmosphere, clean air.

I’ve been to New Athos several times, but only when I delved deeper into the Istria of Abkhazia I learned that this is the temple of Simon the Canonite, the 3rd apostle of Christ, here on this land the apostle preached Christianity and suffered a painful death. The temple without signs and information, does not function, the approximate period of construction is 5-6 centuries AD. There is a spring behind the temple, get some water there, it’s magical

As of April-May 2021, the temple is closed and is unlikely to ever open. You understand the reasons - Abkhazia is a poor country, waiting for help...

Peace and relaxation for the soul. A truly holy place... Many pilgrims from all over the world, monks, grazing cows and many children decorate this place. The views from there are magical! The best market in terms of price and sincerity of sellers is halfway to the temple, with magnets and plates, churchkhella, tea and spices - buy only here!

Very beautiful. Almost timeless. Very touristy. Good place to find souvenirs.

You can take good photos with the waterfall, temple and sculptures.

The temple itself is under restoration, so it only gets 4 stars. But there is beauty all around. Platinum is like a waterfall. For those who like to take a beautiful photo, this is a wonderful place, and it’s simply beautiful and interesting.

A very old Orthodox church. It looks beautiful from the outside. You won't be able to enter the temple because it is closed. Nearby there is a beautiful man-made waterfall and the Psyrtskha River flows. There are huge trout in the river that you can feed with bread. If you climb up the stairs near the waterfall, you can get into the historical gorge of the Psyrtskha River; the entrance is paid, but it’s worth it.