Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
Interesting facts
- A relief on the north wall shows a hand holding a set square, with an inscription asking forgiveness for Arsukidze, the architect.
- A popular tale, spread by Konstantine Gamsakhurdia's novel, claims the architect's hand was cut off out of jealousy.
- According to legend, the seventh cedar column rose into the air by itself and descended only after Saint Nino's prayers.
- Inside stands a small stone chapel of the late 13th or early 14th century built as a copy of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.
- At least ten Georgian kings are buried here, among them Erekle II, whose tomb bears a sword and shield, and George XII, the last king.
- A tomb epitaph of 1684 for Queen Tamar, wife of George XI, is written in both Georgian and Persian.
- A 13th-century fresco shows the Beast of the Apocalypse surrounded by figures of the zodiac.
- Two carved bull heads on the east facade were reused from the 5th-century church that preceded the cathedral.
- Restorers in 1970–1971 uncovered remains of the 5th-century basilica beneath the present building.
- A 17th-century stone canopy inside marks the spot where Christ's robe is said to be buried.
Why it is worth it
Svetitskhoveli, the Cathedral of the Living Pillar, has been the spiritual centre of Georgia for most of the last thousand years. Built of sandy yellow stone and enclosed by fortified walls, it stands in the old town of Mtskheta, where the Aragvi joins the Kura. Mtskheta was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Iberia from the 3rd century BC to the 5th century AD, and it was here that Christianity was proclaimed the state religion in 337.
The present church was built between 1010 and 1029 under King George I by the architect Arsukisdze. It replaced a 5th-century basilica attributed to King Vakhtang Gorgasali, which in turn had replaced a 4th-century church raised under King Mirian III. The cathedral is about 57.7 metres long, 27 metres wide and 49 metres high, still the second-largest church in Georgia. It was badly damaged after Tamerlane's invasions at the end of the 14th century and was rebuilt, with a new dome added in the 15th century. The surrounding walls with eight towers were built under King Erekle II in 1787. Inside, many of the old frescoes were lost when the walls were whitewashed in the 1830s for an imperial visit that never took place. Svetitskhoveli was the coronation church and burial place of Georgian kings, and it is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Historical Monuments of Mtskheta, inscribed in 1994.
The name comes from a legend. Georgian tradition holds that a Jew named Elias brought Christ's seamless robe back from Jerusalem, and that his sister Sidonia died as she took it in her hands and was buried clasping it. A cedar grew from her grave, and seven columns were cut from it for the first church; the seventh, the life-giving pillar that gives the cathedral its name, was believed to have healing powers. The church remains a seat of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia. From the town, the 6th-century Jvari Monastery is visible on the hill across the river.
Getting there
Mtskheta lies about 20 km north of Tbilisi. Tbilisi International Airport (TBS) is about 27 km from the cathedral.
Plan your visit
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Nearby places
- Jvari Monastery, Mtskheta 1.1 km · monastery
- Chronicle of Georgia 10.9 km · monument
- Bridge of Peace 18.1 km · bridge
On these lists
From the encyclopaedia
The Svetitskhoveli Cathedral is an Orthodox Christian cathedral located in the historic town of Mtskheta, Georgia, northwest of the Georgian capital Tbilisi. A masterpiece of the Early and High Middle Ages, Svetitskhoveli is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. It is currently the second-largest church building in Georgia, after the Holy Trinity Cathedral.
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