The Shoan Temple is located on a cliff overlooking the left bank of the Kuban River. It was built by Byzantine craftsmen at the end of the 10th century, when the rulers of the Alan state converted to Christianity. This temple is one of the oldest Orthodox churches in Russia.
The baptism of Alanya according to the Byzantine rite took place in 916. The date of the baptism of Alanya is known from the letters of the Patriarch of Constantinople, Nicholas the Mystic. The Alans became the first people to convert to Christianity in the North Caucasus. Christianity was adopted in Russia in 988, 72 years after Alanya.
The Shoan temple was built in a very picturesque place on the edge of Mount Shoana, which rises near the confluence of the Teberda and Kuban rivers. In the Middle Ages it was an important crossroads of trade routes. Along the Teberda River, it’s possible to cross the Main Caucasian Ridge through the Klukhort Pass. Beyond it is the territory of modern Abkhazia and the Black Sea. Now, 7 kilometers south of the Shoan temple is the city of Karachayevsk, and even further along the gorge is the famous Dombai ski resort.
The Shoan temple has a cross-domed shape, according to Orthodox canons. It is very similar to the Northern Temple on the Big Zelenchuk River in the Alan Settlement. This settlement is located in a gorge near the village of Lower Arkhyz. Historians believe that there was the capital of the Alan state.
The height of the Shoan temple is 13 meters. Ancient architects placed it on a narrow spur of the Shoana Rock. The walls of the temple rise above the rocky cliffs. The temple was consecrated in honor of St. George the Victorious and nowadays it is open to parishioners. In the summer, divine services are held here. It is very cold in winter, as there is no heating.
After entering the temple, people can exit from the other side of the building to go to the bell tower. It is also located on the edge of a rocky cliff. The inaccessible location of the temple allowed people to hide here in case of danger and defend themselves from enemies. There was a large settlement in the area around Mount Shoana in the 10th century. Archaeologists excavated numerous buildings that surrounded Mount Shoana at that time.
