Holy Trinity Cathedral

Tbilisi, Georgia

The Holy Trinity Cathedral (known as Sameba) is the main cathedral of the Georgian Orthodox Church located in Tbilisi. Constructed between 1995 and 2004, it is the third-tallest Eastern Orthodox cathedral in the world and one of the largest religious buildings in the world by total area. Sameba is a synthesis of traditional styles dominating the Georgian church architecture at various stages in history and has some Byzantine undertones.

The Sameba Cathedral is erected on the Elia Hill, which rises above the left bank of the Kura River (Mtkvari) in the historic neighborhood of Avlabari in Old Tbilisi.

The cathedral consists of nine chapels (chapels of the Archangels, John the Baptist, Saint Nino, Saint George, Saint Nicholas, the Twelve Apostles, and All Saints); five of them are situated in a large, underground compartment. 

The Sameba complex, the construction of which is already completed, consists of the main cathedral church, a free-standing bell-tower, the residence of the Patriarch, a monastery, a clerical seminary and theological academy, several workshops, places for rest, etc.

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Address

Tbilisi, Georgia
See all sites in Tbilisi

Details

Founded: 1995-2004
Category: Religious sites in Georgia

Rating

4.8/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Thea J (4 years ago)
The biggest and most central and new Orthodox Christian Cathedral in Tbilisi, capital of Georgia. The Cathedral hosts most Orthodox Christian events and is a place of broadcasting of Christian events on Public TV. The Cathedral is located in an elevated hilltop of an old part of Tbilisi and overlooks the city. The Cathedral itself is visible from many central Tbilisi locations. A visit is highly recommended to understand the nature of Orthodox Christianity and the place of church in Georgian society.
K. Bakhtura (4 years ago)
MJ f (4 years ago)
Beggars at the entrance are quite aggressive. It's a church, big, yes, but not much history to it. Great for photo ops but that's it. You'll find yourself yanked from gate by beggars, fruit juice sellers to the door same story and loses all appeal instantly when that level of aggression occurs. The one is for the beautiful swan and ducks. Be sure to check them out, hopefully you don't get harassed by scam artists.
Alma Ama (4 years ago)
The place is nice and worth a visit if you are in Tbilisi. I like this place, the cathedral is big and pretty. Make sure you comply with the required dress code (covered shoulders and knees and if you are a woman you must also wear a head scarf). Admission is free.
Daghan Coskun (4 years ago)
First of all, to clarify, this is not a historic monument like St Peter's or the cathedrals in Seville or Milan. It's a modern building completed in 2004, probably only for touristic purposes. There is no apparent architecture style. So it's just basically a tall religious building. If you have time and money to spare, you can visit it.
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