What can I visit in Georgia? Cultural heritage - Shiomgwime. Historical information and legends about this complex.
Georgia is a mountainous country with a huge number of ancient religious, historical and cultural monuments. The blog "MadLoba" will tell you which places you must definitely visit, even if they are not in the most popular guidebooks. Shiomgwime will leave the most vivid memories
The complex is located near the city of Mtskheta. The distance to the city is 8 km . Shiomgwime was founded in the 6th century. According to legend, one of the Assyrian fathers, Shio, spent his last years in this cave, where he was buried. The name translates as Shio Cave. Shio's grave is a holy place here.
The complex of Shiomgvime includes a cave-church, the Church of John the Baptist, the grave-church of Shio, where he was buried, the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary with a tower. The complex includes buildings where monks live, a refectory and several more caves.
Water was brought to the monastery from the village of Shaltbi. The library of the complex contains many ancient manuscripts. The monastery in Tbilisi was like a separate complex: it had trading shops for the sale of livestock. The monastery had an advantage: almost complete immunity from state taxes.
The Catholicos-Patriarch defended the church and the monastery, but soon David Agmashenebeli made this place the property of the kingdom. Later, the economic situation of the complex weakened completely, but at the end of the 19th century it was completely renovated.
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