View source for Tbilisi Sioni Cathedral

{{Short description|Orthodox Christian cathedral in Tbilisi, Georgia}}
{{Infobox religious building
| building_name         = Cathedral of Saint Mary of Zion <br/> სიონის ღვთისმშობლის მიძინების ტაძარი
| infobox_width         = 
| image                 = Tbilisi Sioni Cathedral 09.23.jpg
| image_size            = 300 px
| alt                   = 
| caption               = Sioni Cathedral in September 2023
| map_type              = Georgia Tbilisi#Georgia
| map_size              = 275
| location              = 4 Sioni Street, [[Tbilisi]], [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]
| coordinates           = {{coord|41.6914|44.8075|display=inline,title}}
| religious_affiliation = [[Georgian Orthodox Church]]
| rite                  = 
| region                = 
| state                 = 
| province              = 
| territory             = 
| prefecture            = 
| sector                = 
| district              = 
| cercle                = 
| municipality          = 
| consecration_year     = 
| status                = 
| functional_status     = 
| heritage_designation  = 
| leadership            = 
| website               = 
| architecture          = yes
| architect             = 
| architecture_type     = [[Church (building)|Church]]
| architecture_style    = 
| general_contractor    = 
| facade_direction      = 
| groundbreaking        = 
| year_completed        = Church: 6th–7th century,<br/> renovated 13th century and<br/> 17th–18th century. <br/> Belfry: 1812
| construction_cost     = 
| specifications        = yes
| capacity              = 
| length                = 
| width                 = 
| width_nave            = 
| height_max            = 
| dome_quantity         = 1
| dome_height_outer     = 
| dome_height_inner     = 
| dome_dia_outer        = 
| dome_dia_inner        = 
| minaret_quantity      = 
| minaret_height        = 
| spire_quantity        = 
| spire_height          = 
| materials             = 
| nrhp                  = 
| added                 = 
| refnum                = 
| designated            = 
| designation1          = Cultural Heritage Monument of Georgia
| designation1_offname  = Sioni Cathedral
| designation1_type     = 
| designation1_criteria = 
| designation1_date     = {{start date and age|2007|10|01}}
| designation1_partof   = 
| designation1_number   = 4877
| designation1_free1name = Item Number in Cultural Heritage Portal
| designation1_free1value = [https://memkvidreoba.gov.ge/objects/immovable/immovableObject?id=3433 3433]
| designation1_free2name = Date of entry<br>in the registry
| designation1_free2value = {{start date and age|2007|10|11}}
| designation1_free3name = Accounting Card / Passport&nbsp;#
| designation1_free3value = 010404386
}}

The '''Sioni Cathedral of the Dormition''' ({{Lang-ka|სიონის ღვთისმშობლის მიძინების ტაძარი}}) is a [[Georgian Orthodox]] [[cathedral]] located in [[Tbilisi]], the capital of [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]. Following a medieval Georgian tradition of naming churches after specific places in the [[Holy Land]], the Sioni Cathedral bears the name of [[Mount Zion]] at [[Jerusalem]]. It is commonly referred to as the "Tbilisi Sioni" to distinguish it from other churches in Georgia with the same name.

The Tbilisi Sioni Cathedral is situated in the historic Sionis Kucha (Sioni Street) in downtown Tbilisi, with its eastern façade fronting the right bank of the [[Kura (Caspian Sea)|Kura River]]. The cathedral was initially built in the 6th and 7th centuries. Since then, it has been destroyed by foreign invaders and reconstructed several times. The current structure is based on a 13th-century version, with some modifications made between the 17th and 19th centuries. The Sioni Cathedral served as the main Georgian Orthodox Cathedral and the seat of the [[Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia]] until the [[Holy Trinity Cathedral, Tbilisi|Holy Trinity Cathedral]] was consecrated in 2004.

==History==
[[File:Sioni Kathedrale 1890.jpg|thumb|left|Sioni Cathedral as seen from the right side of the [[Kura (Caspian Sea)|Kura River]], 1870s]]

According to medieval Georgian annals, the construction of the original church on this site was initiated by King [[Vakhtang I of Iberia|Vakhtang Gorgasali]] in the 5th century. A hundred years later, [[Guaram I of Iberia|Guaram]], the prince of [[Principality of Iberia|Iberia]] ([[Kartli]]), in c. 575 began building a new structure, which was completed by his successor [[Adarnase, Eristavt Eristavi|Adarnase]] in circa 639. According to legend, both princes were buried in this church, but no trace of their graves has been found. This early church was destroyed by [[Early Muslim conquests|Arabs]], and was subsequently built ''de novo''.

The cathedral was completely rebuilt by King [[David IV of Georgia|David the Builder]] in 1112. The basic elements of the existing structure date from this period. It was heavily damaged in 1226, when its [[Hundred Thousand Martyrs of Tbilisi|dome was ruined]] on the order of Jalal ad Din [[Mingburnu]]. It was subsequently repaired, but damaged again by [[Timur]] in 1386 and repaired by King [[Alexander I of Georgia|Alexander I]]. It was again damaged during the Persian invasions in 1522 and in the 17th century.

[[File:Wall painting, Zion Cathedral, Tiflis.jpg|thumb|upright|left|19th-century sectional drawing showing Grigory Gagarin's frescoes]]

In 1657, the [[Metropolitan bishop|Metropolitan]] of Tbilisi, Elise Saginashvili (died 1670), substantially restored the [[cupola]], vaults, added the southern chapel, paintings and decorations, which is written on the southern annex, but the structure was again devastated in 1668, this time by [[earthquake]]. The regent of Kartli, ''[[batonishvili]]'' (prince) [[Vakhtang VI of Kartli|Vakhtang]], carried out restorations of the cupola and stone plates of the cathedral walls in 1710, as it is carved on the northern wall. Thus, the current tufa facing of the church comes from that period. However, the church was again damaged by the invasion of the Persians in 1795.

The cathedral's interior took on a different look between 1850 and 1860, when the Russian artist and general [[Knyaz]] [[Grigory Gagarin]] (1810–1893) composed an interesting series of the murals, though a number of medieval [[fresco]]es were lost{{clarify|date=February 2016}} in the process. A portion of the murals on the western wall were executed by the Georgian artist [[Levan Tsutskiridze]] in the 1980s.

The stone [[iconostasis]] dates to the 1850s, and was also created according G. Gagarin's design. It replaced the wooden iconostasis burned during the [[Persian Empire|Persian]] invasion in 1795. To the left of the [[altar]] is the venerated [[Grapevine cross]] which, according to tradition, was forged by [[Saint Nino]], a [[Cappadocia]]n woman who preached Christianity in the Caucasus in the early 4th century. King [[Vakhtang III of Georgia|Vakhtang III]] gave the [[reliquary]] itself in the early 14th century.

The Sioni Cathedral was where the Russian Imperial manifesto on the annexation of Georgia was first published. On April 12, 1802, the Russian commander-in-chief in Georgia, General [[Karl von Knorring]], assembled the Georgian nobles in the cathedral, which was then surrounded by Russian troops. The nobles were forced to take an oath to the Russian Imperial crown; any who disagreed were taken into custody.<ref>[[Julius Heinrich Klaproth|Klaproth, J.]] (2005), ''Travels in the Caucasus and Georgia. Performed in the years 1807 and 1808, by command of the Russian government'', Adamant Media Corporation, {{ISBN|1-4021-8908-7}}, p. 220 (''Replica of 1814 edition by Henry Colburn, London'')</ref><ref>Villari, L. (1906), ''Fire and Sword in the Caucasus'', T. F. Unwin, London, p. 32 (Online version [http://armenianhouse.org/villari/caucasus/caucasus-history.html])</ref><ref>[[David Marshall Lang|Lang, DM.]] (1957), ''The Last Years of the Georgian Monarchy: 1658–1832'', [[New York City]]: [[Columbia University Press]], p. 247</ref>

Sioni Cathedral remained functional through [[Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic|Soviet]] times, and was partially renovated between 1980 and 1983.

==Architecture==
[[File:Sioni Church Tbilisi eastern facade.jpg|thumb|left|Eastern facade of the church with three faceted apsids]]
The Sioni Cathedral is a typical example of medieval Georgian [[church architecture]] of an inscribed [[cross-in-square]] design with projecting polygonal [[apse]]s in the east façade. Main entrance is in the west side. The dome with the [[tholobate]] is supported by the altar wall and two freely standing pillars (a more advanced design that appeared after the 11th century). Transition from the pillars to the tholobate is via pointed arches. In addition, the pillars are connected to the northern and southern walls by helm-shaped arches (probably 16th century). The yellow [[tuff]] from which the cathedral was built comes from [[Bolnisi]], a town southwest of Tbilisi. The façades are simple, with few decorations, although there are [[bas-relief]] carvings of a cross and a chained lion on the western side and an angel and saints on the north. All sixteen windows have carved ornamental frames. Shallow carvings indicate late decoration.

[[File:Sioni Church Tbilisi tholobate.jpg|thumb|left|Tholobate of the church with decorations. Southeastern view]]

===Bell towers===
{{infobox building
| name             = Tbilisi Sioni Old Bell Tower
| native_name      = თბილისის სიონის ძველი სამრეკლო
| mapframe         = no
| image            = სიონი.jpg
| building_type    = [[Bell tower]]
| material         = [[Brick]], [[Stone]]
| completion_date  = {{start date and age|1425}}
| embedded         = {{Infobox designation list
| embed                   = yes
| designation1            = Cultural Heritage Monument of Georgia
| designation1_offname    = Sioni Bell Tower
| designation1_type       = 
| designation1_criteria   = 
| designation1_date       = {{start date and age|2007|10|01}}
| designation1_partof     = 
| designation1_number     = 4876
| designation1_free1name  = Item Number in Cultural Heritage Portal
| designation1_free1value = [https://memkvidreoba.gov.ge/objects/immovable/immovableObject?id=3447 3447]
| designation1_free2name  = Date of entry<br>in the registry
| designation1_free2value = {{start date and age|2007|10|11}}
| designation1_free3name  = Accounting Card / Passport #
| designation1_free3value =010404385}}
}}

{{infobox building
|name=Tbilisi Sioni New Bell Tower
|native_name=თბილისის სიონის ახალი სამრეკლო
|mapframe=no
| image               = File:Klokketårnet til Sionikatedralen (Sioni Cathedral Belltower).jpg
| building_type       = [[Bell tower]]
| material= [[Brick]]
| architectural_style=[[Neoclassical architecture]]
|completion_date={{start date and age|1812}}
| embedded={{Infobox designation list
| embed                   = yes
| designation1            = Cultural Heritage Monument of Georgia
| designation1_offname    = Sioni Bell Tower(New)
| designation1_type       = 
| designation1_criteria   = 
| designation1_date       = {{start date and age|2007|10|01}}
| designation1_partof     = 
| designation1_number     = 4878
| designation1_free1name  = Item Number in Cultural Heritage Portal
| designation1_free1value = [https://memkvidreoba.gov.ge/objects/immovable/immovableObject?id=3864 3864]
| designation1_free2name  = Date of entry<br>in the registry
| designation1_free2value = {{start date and age|2007|10|11}}
| designation1_free3name  = Accounting Card / Passport #
| designation1_free3value =010404387}}}}
North of the cathedral, within the courtyard, is a freestanding three-story bell tower dating from the 1425 reconstruction by King [[Alexander I of Georgia|Alexander I]]. Largely destroyed by the Persian shah [[Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar]] in 1795, it was restored to its present condition in 1939.

Across the street stands another three-story bell tower; one of the earliest examples of Russian [[Neoclassical architecture]] in the region.<ref>''Джанберидзе Н., Мачабели К. (1981) Тбилиси. Мцхета. Москва: Искусство, 255 c.''</ref> Complete in 1812, the bell tower was commissioned under [[Pavel Tsitsianov]] using money awarded in recognition of [[Battle of Ganja (1804)|his conquest]] of [[Ganja Khanate|Ganja]] for the [[Russian Empire]].<ref>[[:ru:Утверждение русского владычества на Кавказе|Утверждение Русскаго владычество на кавказе]], ''Время Кнорринга, Цицианова и Гудовича. 1801–1809 гг,'' A. I Liberman: 1901. Volume 1</ref>

[[File:Catedral de Sioni, Tiflis, Georgia, 2016-09-29, DD 97-99 HDR.jpg|thumb|left|250px|View of the ceiling]]
The murals, painted by [[Grigory Gagarin|G. Gagarin]], and iconostasis, also designed by him in 1850s-60s, differed from traditional Georgian tradition.

==Burials==
The Sioni Cathedral serves as a burial ground for several notable churchmen, including the 20th-century [[Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia|Catholicoi-Patriarchs of Georgia]], and economic and political figure Giorgi Maisashvili: 
*[[Patriarch Kyrion II of Georgia|Kyrion II]], 
*[[Patriarch Leonid of Georgia|Leonid]], 
*[[Patriarch Ambrose of Georgia|Ambrose]], 
*[[Patriarch Christophorus III of Georgia|Christophorus III]], 
*[[Patriarch Callistratus of Georgia|Callistratus]], 
*[[Patriarch Melchizedek III of Georgia|Melchizedek III]], 
*[[Patriarch Ephraim II of Georgia|Ephraim II]], 
*[[Patriarch David V of Georgia]]
*[[Giorgi Maisashvili]]
*[[Pavel Tsitsianov]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{refbegin}}
* Rosen, Roger. ''Georgia: A Sovereign Country of the Caucasus.'' Odyssey Publications: Hong Kong, 1999. {{ISBN|962-217-748-4}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Sioni Cathedral, Tbilisi|Sioni Cathedral}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110725071058/http://www.tbilisi.gov.ge/index.php?lang_id=ENG&sec_id=1267&info_id=6839 Tbilisi city government site]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071012205500/http://www.heritage.ge/old_news_e2.htm Georgian Cultural Heritage Information Center]

{{Georgian Churches}}

[[Category:12th-century Eastern Orthodox church buildings]]
[[Category:Georgian Orthodox cathedrals in Georgia (country)]]
[[Category:Georgian Orthodox churches in Tbilisi]]
[[Category:7th-century churches in Georgia (country)]]
[[Category:Old Tbilisi]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Tbilisi]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1112]]
[[Category:Churches completed in the 1110s]]
[[Category:12th-century churches in Georgia (country)]]