The largest monuments of medieval Georgian architecture. Svetitskhoveli Cathedral.

CurrentlySvetitskhoveli It is the largest monument among the preserved medieval Georgian Christian cultural monuments. Here in the IV century. a zala church was erected, the remains of which are preserved under the floor in the interior of today's cathedral. They can be seen through the glass. Inside the cathedral there is also a basilica built by the king of Kartli Vakhtang Gorgasali in the V century.

Today's cathedral was built by the decree of the Mtskheta Catholicos-Patriarch Melkisedek in 1010 - 1029 by the architect Arsukidze. There is a legend according to which, upon completion of the construction, Arsukidze's right hand was cut off because he had the audacity to reveal greater skill in architectural art than his teacher.

Svetitskhoveli is considered a fundamental temple in the style of architecture of medieval Georgia. Svetitskhoveli has been subjected to restoration work many times. During the reign of the Georgian tsar Alexander I (XV century), the facade and the drum of the dome were repaired, some relief images were moved, the fresco painting dates from a later time (mainly from the XVI- XVII centuries). Svetitskhoveli is surrounded by a two-tiered fortress wall with a combat path, loopholes and a storage for stones, which was built under the king of Kartli and Kakheti, Irakli II, in 1787. 6 cylindrical and 2 quadrangular towers are built into the wall. On the south side of the wall there is an entrance gate, and on the west side there is a bell tower and a gate of the XI century. In the south-eastern part of the courtyard is the palace of Anton II Catalikos (1788-1811).