Cathedral of Saint Mary of Zion სიონის ღვთისმშობლის მიძინების ტაძარი | |
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Religion | |
Affiliation | Georgian Orthodox Church |
Location | |
Location | 4 Sioni Street, Tbilisi, Georgia |
Geographic coordinates | 41°41′29″N 44°48′27″E / 41.6914°N 44.8075°E |
Architecture | |
Type | Church |
Completed | Church: 6th–7th century, renovated 13th century and 17th–18th century. Belfry: 1812 |
Dome(s) | 1 |
Official name: Sioni Cathedral | |
Designated | October 1, 2007 |
Reference no. | 4877 |
Item Number in Cultural Heritage Portal | 3433 |
Date of entry in the registry | October 11, 2007 |
Accounting Card / Passport # | 010404386 |
The Sioni Cathedral of the Dormition (Georgian: სიონის ღვთისმშობლის მიძინების ტაძარი) is a Georgian Orthodox cathedral located in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. Following a medieval Georgian tradition of naming churches after specific places in the Holy Land, the Sioni Cathedral bears the name of Mount Zion at Jerusalem. It is commonly referred to as the "Tbilisi Sioni" to distinguish it from other churches in Georgia with the same name.
The Tbilisi Sioni Cathedral is situated in the historic Sionis Kucha (Sioni Street) in downtown Tbilisi, with its eastern façade fronting the right bank of the Kura River. The cathedral was initially built in the 6th and 7th centuries. Since then, it has been destroyed by foreign invaders and reconstructed several times. The current structure is based on a 13th-century version, with some modifications made between the 17th and 19th centuries. The Sioni Cathedral served as the main Georgian Orthodox Cathedral and the seat of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia until the Holy Trinity Cathedral was consecrated in 2004.