Sameba Cathedral

About Sameba Cathedral

Cathedral in Tbilisi, Georgia

The Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi, commonly known as Sameba, is the main cathedral of the Georgian Orthodox Church and one of the most prominent landmarks of the modern Georgian capital. It was built between 1995 and 2004 on Elia Hill, rising above the left bank of the Kura (Mtkvari) river in the historic Avlabari district, on ground that had been a park and before that the largest Armenian cemetery in the city, a small part of which survives as the Armenian Pantheon. It is the third-tallest Eastern Orthodox cathedral in the world and one of the largest religious buildings in the world by total area: 105.5 metres from the ground to the top of the cross, with an overall area including the large narthex of about half a hectare. The design is a synthesis of the traditional styles that dominated Georgian church architecture at various stages of its history, with Byzantine undertones and an exaggerated vertical emphasis, which has made it venerated by many and criticised by others. It has a cruciform plan with a dome over the crossing resting on eight columns and topped by a 7.5-metre gilded cross, and contains nine chapels, five of them in a large underground section; the floors are of marble and the murals were painted by a team of artists. Besides the cathedral the complex includes a free-standing bell tower, the Patriarch's residence, a monastery, a seminary and theological academy and workshops. For Muslim visitors the cathedral is a modern architectural landmark to be seen from outside and from its broad gardens overlooking the Old Town; it is visible across the Tbilisi skyline from everywhere, especially when its gilded dome is lit at night.

Where:

Tbilisi, Georgia