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Samtavisi and Ateni Sioni
Shida Kartli

The XI century dome cathedral of Samtavisi is located in the hamlet of Samtavisi in Kaspi region (one of the legends on the cathedral dates completion of construction works at 1030). Samtavisi is a Bishop cathedral. It was built on the site where the Holy Father, Isidore Samtavneli of Assyria, erected the first cathedral.

The compound is encircled with a fence inside of which, other than main cathedral, are located remnants of the palace of Bishop and a belfry (XVII c.). In the inscription on eastern facade of the cathedral the builder and the first Bishop of the cathedral, Ilarion Kanchaeli, is mentioned. In XV century seriously damaged cathedral was substantially refurbished. It was also renovated in XIX century. In the interior of the cathedral fresco painting has remained only in the altar. Samtavisi is rich with ornaments, decoration compositions. Samtavisi is regarded as the beginning of the new stage of Georgian architecture which evolved in XII-XIII centuries in the Georgian church architecture.

Ateni Sioni is located in 12 km from the town of Gori, near the hamlet of Ateni, on the left bank of river Tani, on the roadside. Cathedral belongs to VIII century and is of a cross-dome tetra-arch type construction (24 x 19 m, height 22 m). It was built with greenish-greyish square-cut sandstone. On the walls of Ateni Sioni cathedral remain unique Georgian inscriptions and postscripts in Asomtavruli mentioning historical and other individuals, dates and facts. Inscriptions are noteworthy also from language and script points. Interior of the cathedral was fully painted in the second half of XI century. Discriminating manner of painting and technical means, it is possible to identify several artists.

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