Bolnisi Sioni

Bolnisi Sioni ბოლნისის სიონი
Bolnisi Sioni Cathedral
Shown within Georgia (country)
Basic information
Location	Bolnisi, Bolnisi District, Kvemo Kartli Province (Mkhare),  Georgia
Geographic coordinates	41°23′20″N 44°30′45″E / 41.388889°N 44.5125°ECoordinates: 41°23′20″N 44°30′45″E / 41.388889°N 44.5125°E
Affiliation	Georgian Orthodox Church
Region	Caucasus
Architectural description
Architectural type	Georgian; Cathedral
Architectural style	Triple-nave basilica
Completed	478–493

Bolnisi Sioni (Georgian: ბოლნისის სიონი) 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.^[1]

Bolnisi Sioni Cathedral is known for its Georgian Bolnisi inscriptions. These are one of the oldest historical documents of the Georgian alphabet.

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  Bolnisi Sioni bell-tower.

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  Church façade and exterior portal.

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  Early inscription

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  Interior of Bolnisi Sioni.

Bibliography

• V. Beridze, Georgian Soviet Encyclopedia, 2, Tbilisi, 1977, p. 454
• Sh. Amiranashvili, History of Georgian Art, Tbilisi, 1971, pp. 113–118
• V. Beridze, Bolnisi Sioni // fresco, No. 2, 1968, pp. 23–25

References

1. Rapp, Stephen H. (2003), Studies in Medieval Georgian Historiography: Early Texts And Eurasian Contexts, p. 316. Peeters Bvba, ISBN 90-429-1318-5

External links

• Media related to Bolnisi Sioni at Wikimedia Commons
• Bolnisi Sioni, Dzeglebi.ge
• Bolnisi Sioni, National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation of Georgia