Ancient Georgian cathedrals that are worth seeing. Bolnisi Sioni.
The Bolnisi Sioni Cathedral is located right in the center of the city of Bolnisi, on a flat place. The cathedral itself is a massive wide structure. Special attention should be paid to the interior of the cathedral. Inside you will find interesting relief decorations, ancient inscriptions and frescoes, ornaments with images of flora and fauna.
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Ancient Bolnisi inscription found in Palestine, in the Judean Desert. This inscription dates back to 430 and is made with mosaic technique. Currently, a sample of the oldest Georgian script is kept in Jerusalem, in the Franciscan Museum.
Bolnisi Sioni is located in Kvemo Kartli. in downtown Bolnisi. It was built in 478-493, during the reign of Vakhtang Gorgasali. The choice of the place for the temple was due to the fact that the most important religious and administrative center was located here. A construction inscription has been preserved on the temple, which is the oldest example of writing on the territory of Georgia. In the center of the inscription is depicted one of the types of cross – an isosceles cross, drawn with segments of a circle, with expanding sleeves. Such a cross is widespread in Georgian culture. It is known as the "Bolnisi Cross".
The word "Zion" means "sunny". There are many temples in Georgia called "Zion"-ami. All of them (in Bolnisi, Tbilisi, Ateni, Dmanisi, Rustavi, Manglisi and others) bear the name of the Most Holy Theotokos. The temple is notable for being the largest three-nave basilica in Georgia.
Located on a flat place, the cathedral is a massive, wide-spread structure with stable proportions. From the point of view of the architectural plan, the interior deserves special attention. Relief decorations are notable in the interior, geometric ornaments and ornaments depicting plants and animals are on the capitals. An open arched gallery adjoins the entire perimeter of the building from the north. In the VII century, a small chapel was added to the east of the basilica, under which there is a crypt. There is a fence around the basilica.
Bolnisi Cathedral has been restored and renovated many times. In the middle of the XVII century, restoration work in the cathedral was carried out on the initiative of Queen Mariam, the wife of Kartalinsky tsar Rostom.
The restoration of the monument was carried out in the last century.
Currently, Bolnisi Sioni is an active temple.
It is amazing how in a country that has gone through conquests and pogroms, it was possible to preserve such an ancient structure. This fact once again underlines the Georgian honor before traditions, the desire to preserve and pass on to posterity all the most valuable.
Read more about Georgia and its sights in the notes and reviews on the pages of the madloba catalog. We try to show the story from the other side.
See all the sights of Georgia
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