Samtavisi and Ateni Sioni: Two Medieval Cathedrals of Georgia

The 11th-century Samtavisi Domed Church is located in the village of Samtavisi in the Kaspi District. An inscription on the church itself indicates that construction was completed in 1030.

Samtavisi is a cathedral. It was built on the site where, in the 6th century, one of the Syrian Fathers, Isidore of Samtavisi, erected the first church.

The monastery complex is surrounded by a fence. In addition to the main church, the ruins of the bishop's palace and a bell tower (17th century) remain on the grounds. An inscription on the church's eastern façade mentions its builder and first bishop, Illarion Kancheli. In the 15th century, the severely damaged church was restored. Restoration work continued here in the 19th century. The interior frescoes have survived only in the altar. The cathedral contains numerous carved ornaments and decorative compositions. Samtavisi Church marks a new stage in Georgian architecture, which developed in the 12th and 13th centuries.

The Ateni Sioni Cathedral is located 12 kilometers from Gori, near the village of Ateni, on the right bank of the Tani River. Built in the 8th century, the church is a cross-in-square tetraconch structure (24 x 19 meters, 22 meters high) constructed of greenish-gray hewn limestone squares. Unique inscriptions and postscripts from various periods, written in the Old Georgian "asomtavruli" alphabet, have been preserved on the walls of the Ateni Sioni. These inscriptions mention historical figures and others, and contain dates and other information. The inscriptions are also noteworthy for their insight into the history of the language and the development of writing. The church was entirely decorated in the second half of the 11th century. The artistic methods of several artists differ in their style and technique.