Sioni Cathedral in Tbilisi

Our Tbilisi explorations included a stop at Sioni Cathedral, an important religious landmark on Sioni Street near the Kura River. Dating originally from the 6th-7th centuries, this historic church has been destroyed and rebuilt numerous times throughout Georgia's tumultuous history.

Inside, we admired the 1850s murals by Russian artist Grigory Gagarin and the stone iconostasis from the same period. The cathedral houses the venerated Grapevine cross, traditionally associated with Saint Nino, who brought Christianity to Georgia.

The cathedral's architecture features the typical medieval Georgian cross-in-square design with a central dome of warm yellow tuff stone. Outside, two bell towers stand —a restored 15th-century one in the courtyard and a neoclassical tower from 1812 across the street.

Until 2004, Sioni served as Georgia's main Orthodox cathedral before that role transferred to the Holy Trinity Cathedral. It remains an active church, an important spiritual center for locals, and an interesting historical site for visitors.