Svetitskhoveli Cathedral

Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
სვეტიცხოვლის საკათედრო ტაძარი
Svetitskhoveli Cathedral's southern façade
41°50′31″N 44°43′16″E / 41.8419°N 44.7211°E / 41.8419; 44.7211
Location	Mtskheta, Mtskheta-Mtianeti
Country	Georgia
Denomination	Georgian Orthodox Church
Architecture
Previous cathedrals	One built in the 4th century AD (by King Mirian III) Second one built in the 5th century AD (during the reign of Vakhtang I)
Architect(s)	Arsukisdze
Architectural type	Cathedral
Style	Cross-in-square
Groundbreaking	1010
Completed	1029 (during the reign of King George I)
Specifications
Length	57.7 metres (189 ft)
Width	27 metres (89 ft)
Height	49 metres (161 ft)
Number of domes	1
Materials	stone
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Official name	Historical Monuments of Mtskheta
Type	Cultural
Criteria	iii, iv
Designated	1994 (18th session)
Reference no.	708
Region	Europe
Immovable Cultural Monument of National Significance of Georgia
Official name	Svetitskhoveli Complex
Designated	November 7, 2006; 17 years ago (2006-11-07)
Reference no.	2507
Item Number in Cultural Heritage Portal	5080
Date of entry in the registry	October 3, 2007; 16 years ago (2007-10-03)

The Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (Georgian: სვეტიცხოვლის საკათედრო ტაძარი, svet'icxovlis sak'atedro t'adzari; literally the Cathedral of the Living Pillar) is an Orthodox Christian cathedral located in the historic town of Mtskheta, Georgia, to the northwest of the Georgian capital Tbilisi. A masterpiece of the Early and High Middle Ages, Svetitskhoveli is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.^[1] It is currently the second largest church building in Georgia, after the Holy Trinity Cathedral.

Known as the burial site of the claimed Christ's mantle, Svetitskhoveli has long been one of the principal Georgian Orthodox churches and is among the most venerated places of worship in the region.^[2] Throughout the centuries, the cathedral served as the burial place for kings. The present cross-in-square structure was completed between 1010 and 1029 by the medieval Georgian architect Arsukisdze, although the site itself dates back to the early fourth century. The exterior archature of the cathedral is a well-preserved example of typical decorations of the 11th century.

Svetitskhoveli is considered an endangered cultural landmark;^[3] it has survived a variety of adversities, and many of its priceless frescoes have been lost due to being whitewashed by the Russian Imperial authorities.^[4] It is considered one of the four Great Cathedrals of the Georgian Orthodox world.