The old foundation of the church's enclosure wall shows that a fortress stood here before the church. By one version, the name Tsalenjikha, or "fortress of the Chans", is connected with this stronghold. By another version, the toponym Tsalenjikha appears to derive from the name of the Colchian tribe of the Chans (chanis jikha — fortress of the Chans; chanis dikha — land of the Chans).