Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
Confession: Georgian Orthodox Church
Foundation date: XI century.
Status:Active monastery
Condition: Good
From Tbilisi: 20 km / 37 min.
The Cathedral of the Georgian Orthodox ChurchSvetitskhoveli, which in translation from Georgian means the Life-Giving Pillar, is located inMtskheta. The latter is one of the historical cities of Georgia, the ancient capital of the country. It is located 20 km northwest of the capital Tbilisi, at the confluence of the Kura and Aragvi rivers.
The Svetitskhoveli Cathedral has been the main temple of Georgia for thousands of years. According to legend, the clothes that were wrapped around the body of Christ are buried under the foundations of this church. Svetitskhoveli has long been a major Georgian church and remains one of Georgia’s most famous landmarks. Currently, it is the residence of the Archbishop of Mtskheta and Tbilisi, who at the same time is the Catholicos of all Georgia.
The current temple, with which many legends are associated, was built by the Georgian architect Arsekidis in the 11th century. This cross-domed temple, decorated with many reliefs, is the second largest in the country after the Sameba Cathedral in Tbilisi, which was built recently. According to tradition, after the construction of the church, it was ordered that his hand be cut off so that he could no longer build such a magnificent temple.
The temple is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
