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Bolnisi Sioni Cathedral — Attraction in Bolnisi

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Bolnisi Sioni Cathedral
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Bolnisi Sioni or Bolnisi Sioni Cathedral is a Georgian Orthodox basilica in the Bolnisi village of Bolnisi District, Georgia. The cathedral was built in 478–493. It is the oldest extant church building in Georgia. Bishop David was the overseeing church leader for the construction of Bolnisi Sioni.
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Bolnisi Sioni Cathedral
GeorgiaLower KartliBolnisiBolnisi Sioni Cathedral

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Bolnisi Sioni Cathedral

9GQ7+G2W, Bolnisi, Georgia
4.9(188)
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Bolnisi Sioni or Bolnisi Sioni Cathedral is a Georgian Orthodox basilica in the Bolnisi village of Bolnisi District, Georgia. The cathedral was built in 478–493. It is the oldest extant church building in Georgia. Bishop David was the overseeing church leader for the construction of Bolnisi Sioni.

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C E SpiessC E Spiess
Ancient green stone church is said to be the oldest church in Georgia. Church building was locked when we arrived but an elderly church lady kindly opened the doors. The church has an abundance of icons inside, and very beautiful ancient looking frescos of saints on the apse opposite of entry. If you climb up the stairs of the tower located to the right when you enter the churchyard I wouldn't recommend entering the room at the top as the floor looked unstable. The village and site is definitely worth visiting! I'm sure that I would have learned a lot more is I could read and understand Georgian!
WT GeorgiaWT Georgia
We sometimes offer group day tours here combined with Bolnisi. Dmanisi is open until November 15, according to their information. And then it will reopen somewhere in May. Here’s the ticket info: they accept card payments, but it’s best to have some cash just in case. Please note that there are no English-speaking guides available.
HelmaHelma
June 2014 Kvemo-Kartli Bolnisi Sioni (ბოლნისის სიონი) is a Georgian Orthodox basilica in Bolnisi. The cathedral was built in 478 - 493. It is the oldest extant church building in Georgia. Bolnisi Sioni is known for its Georgian inscriptions. These are one of the oldest historical documents of the Georgian alphabet.
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Pet-friendly Hotels in Bolnisi

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Ancient green stone church is said to be the oldest church in Georgia. Church building was locked when we arrived but an elderly church lady kindly opened the doors. The church has an abundance of icons inside, and very beautiful ancient looking frescos of saints on the apse opposite of entry. If you climb up the stairs of the tower located to the right when you enter the churchyard I wouldn't recommend entering the room at the top as the floor looked unstable. The village and site is definitely worth visiting! I'm sure that I would have learned a lot more is I could read and understand Georgian!
C E Spiess

C E Spiess

hotel
Find your stay

Affordable Hotels in Bolnisi

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We sometimes offer group day tours here combined with Bolnisi. Dmanisi is open until November 15, according to their information. And then it will reopen somewhere in May. Here’s the ticket info: they accept card payments, but it’s best to have some cash just in case. Please note that there are no English-speaking guides available.
WT Georgia

WT Georgia

hotel
Find your stay

The Coolest Hotels You Haven't Heard Of (Yet)

Find a cozy hotel nearby and make it a full experience.

hotel
Find your stay

Trending Stays Worth the Hype in Bolnisi

Find a cozy hotel nearby and make it a full experience.

June 2014 Kvemo-Kartli Bolnisi Sioni (ბოლნისის სიონი) is a Georgian Orthodox basilica in Bolnisi. The cathedral was built in 478 - 493. It is the oldest extant church building in Georgia. Bolnisi Sioni is known for its Georgian inscriptions. These are one of the oldest historical documents of the Georgian alphabet.
Helma

Helma

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Reviews of Bolnisi Sioni Cathedral

4.9
(188)
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5.0
4y

Ancient green stone church is said to be the oldest church in Georgia. Church building was locked when we arrived but an elderly church lady kindly opened the doors. The church has an abundance of icons inside, and very beautiful ancient looking frescos of saints on the apse opposite of entry. If you climb up the stairs of the tower located to the right when you enter the churchyard I wouldn't recommend entering the room at the top as the floor looked unstable. The village and site is definitely worth visiting! I'm sure that I would have learned a lot more is I could read and...

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5.0
1y

ბოლნისის სიონის თარიღი ზუსტად ვერ განისაზღვრება 478-493 წლებით. ტაძრის ასეთი დათარიღება მხოლოდ ერთ-ერთი ვერსიაა, ხოლო უკანასკნელი კვლევების თანახმად ასეთ დათარიღება საეჭვოც კია. ამის მიზეზი კი ისაა, რომ წარწერა, რომლის მიხედვითაც ტაძარი თითქოს ზუსტად თარიღდება 478-493 წლებით, არ იკითხება, რადგანაც მისი თითქმის ნახევარი სამუდამოდ განადგურებულია. ამგვარად წარწერის, ე.ი. შინაარსის რეკონსტრუქცია წმინდად თეორიულია.

სხვადასხვა მკვლევარის მიერ ტექსტის აღდგენის საფუძველზე ტაძრის მშენებლობის თარიღად განისაზღვრება მეოთხე საუკუნის შუა წლებიდან მეხუთე საუკუნის მიწურულამდე პერიოდი. ხოლო უკანასკნელი კვლევების თანახმად ეს შესაძლოა სწორედ ის ბოლნისის ტაძარი იყოს, რომელის მშენებლობასაც ქართული მატიანეები ბაკურ მეფეს და ფარსმან მეფეს მიაწერენ. ამ ვერსიის მიხედვით ტაძრის მშენებლობის თარიღია მე-4 საუკუნის მიწურული და მე-5 საუკუნის დამდეგი.

The construction date of Bolnisi's sioni cannot be precisely determined between 478-493 AD. Such dating of the temple is only one of the versions, and according to the latest research such dating is even doubtful. The reason for this is that the inscription, according to which the temple seems to date precisely from 478-493 years, cannot be read, because almost half of it has been destroyed forever. So, reconstruction of inspription is purely theoretical.

Based on the reconstruction of the text by various researchers, the period from the middle of the fourth century to the end of the fifth century is determined as the date of the construction of the temple. And according to the latest studies, this might be the Bolnisi temple, the construction of which Georgian chronicles attribute to King Bakur and King Farsman. According to this version, the date of construction of the temple is the end of the 4th century and the beginning of the...

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5.0
9y

Болнисский сион (груз. ბოლნისის სიონი) — древнейший грузинский храм в форме базилики. Находится в селе Квемо-Болниси Болнисского муниципалитета области Квемо-Картли. Постройка начата в 478 и закончена в 493 году, это самая старая и притом хорошо сохранившаяся базилика в стране. В храме найдены одни из самых древних надписей на грузинском языке.

Храм возведен на трехступенчатом цоколе. Три нефа имели сводчатыеперекрытия и были подведены под общую двухскатную крышу. Центральный неф имел коробовой свод, а боковые — полукоробовой. С севера и юга были устроены галереи с большей кровлей. В восточной стороне была устроена закрытая крещальня. Восточная алтарнаячасть имеет полуцилиндрический выступ.

Внешние декоративные украшения почти отсутствуют, формы грузны и приземисты. Сложен из крупных квадров зеленоватого камня. Западный и восточный фасадымонументально строги и лаконичны. Северный и южный фасады оживляются арками открытых боковых галерей.

Интерьер храма формируется рядами крестообразных в сечении колонн. Крупные ясные и четкие формы придают внутреннему пространству монументальный характер.

Резные каменные капители колонн и пилястр украшены изображениями животных и деревьев, а также содержат линейный орнамент в виде двойных арочек. Сюжеты изображений, видимо, связаны с символикой раннего христианства, но возможна и связь с древними местными культами. В трактовке форм прослеживается связь с искусством Ирана и Сирии, а также связь с местными традициями...

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