Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (Region Mtskheta-Mtianeti)
Svetitskhoveli (Georgian: სვეტიცხოველი) – The ancient shrine and spiritual center of Georgia, the most important monument of Georgian culture, art and architecture, stands out not only for its artistic merit, grandeur and harmony, but also for the special role it played in the history of the Georgian people. The largest historical building among the surviving Georgian churches today. There is no shrine in Georgia that could compare with Svetitskhoveli in its antiquity, grandeur, historical memory and divine providence. Svetitskhoveli was erected as an example of the creativity of the Georgian people and their rich imagination. The history of Svetitskhovli is inseparable from the heroic past of Georgia. Almost completely destroyed, it was repeatedly restored to its former glory and thus embodied the symbol of the vitality and invincibility of Georgia.
The temple, which has survived to this day with some changes, was built in the early 11th century by the architect Arsukidze (Georgian: არსუკიძე), on the site of previous churches, the walls of which were not completely destroyed and survived as architectural elements. The period of construction of the cathedral coincided with a very interesting era in the history of Georgia, when the architecture of cross-domed churches reached the highest level of development. The church was built on the foundation of a previously existing basilica. Svetitskhoveli Cathedral is the place where, according to the Christian faith, the Holy Tunic, which Jesus Christ was dressed in before the crucifixion, was buried. Svetitskhoveli also houses the most important Orthodox relics: part of the cross on which the Savior was crucified, a particle of the relics of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called, the robe of the prophet Elijah. For this reason, the cathedral is considered one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Georgia. Svetitskhoveli Temple is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Mtskheta city (Georgian: ქალაქი მცხეთა), Municipality of Mtskheta (Georgian: მცხეთის მუნიციპალიტეტი)