Sioni Cathedral (Sioni)

Sioni Cathedral stands on Sioni Street in Old Tbilisi, Georgia, close to the Mtkvari embankment. It is named for Mount Zion in Jerusalem, and its original construction is dated to the 6th and 7th centuries. The cathedral has been damaged and rebuilt many times: Arab emirs, Mongol forces, Persian armies and others looted or damaged it, and the current appearance is the result of reconstructions in the 13th century and later, with further restoration in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is a domed cross-in-square church of brick and stone with a tall drum and a separate bell tower. The interior holds frescoes and icons from various periods, and it is the home of the grapevine cross of St Nino, the cross traditionally credited to the saint who brought Christianity to Georgia in the 4th century. The cross is made of vine tied with her own hair, according to tradition. During the Soviet era the cathedral was preserved as a church only in a limited form, and today it is an active Georgian Orthodox cathedral, with services and weddings held in it. Its role as the principal cathedral of Tbilisi was long held before the construction of the Holy Trinity Cathedral. The setting is the heart of the Old Town, with the Tbilisi History Museum, Anchiskhati Basilica and the Shavteli Street lanes all within a few minutes' walk. Restoration has been continuous, so scaffolding is occasionally visible. Visitors are expected to dress modestly and to remain quiet while services are in progress.