Shiomgvime monastic complex was one of the outstanding religious and cultural centers in the feudal time Georgia. It is located some 40 km from Tbilisi, in Mtskheta region, on the left bank of river Mtkvari. It was founded in the second half of VI century by one of the Assyrian preachers named Shio. As the sources tell us, Shio spent the last years of his life in dark and deep cave and after demise, according to his will, he was buried there. That is where the name comes from – Shios mgvime (Cave of Shio). His grave in Shiomgvime is a sacred place. Shiomgvime monastic complex includes: dome church of John the Baptist (middle of VI c.), the Upper church (XI-XII cc.), refectory (XII c.) and a chapel near monastery (XII c.). Water was supplied to monastery from the hamlet of Skhaltbi. Shiomgvime was a hotbed of culture and education in medieval Georgia. The library of Shiomgvime kept a rich collection of manuscripts. In Tbilisi the monastery held vending booths and bred livestock for sale. It enjoyed privilege and was exempt from any court (partly), Eparchy and state taxes. From VI century up to the beginning of XII century Shiomgvime was in the direct supervision of Catholicos-Patriarch. David Agmashenebeli turned it into a Royal ownership. In XIII-XVIII centuries political and economic position of Shiomgvime went down. In XIX-XX centuries Shiomgvime was fundamentally restored.

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