Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi

The Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi, known as Tsminda Sameba, rises on Saint Elijah Hill as the principal church of the Georgian Orthodox Church. Its golden cross, weighing more than two tons, shines above the city, while the building reaches 101 meters including its underground levels. The cathedral measures 77 meters from east to west and 65 meters from north to south, covers more than 5,000 square meters, and can hold up to 15,000 worshipers. The idea emerged in 1989 to mark 1,500 years of the Georgian Church's autocephaly and 2,000 years of Christianity. Its architecture combines Georgian church traditions with modern solutions, described variously as neo-Georgian or modernist. The cathedral and its grounds preserve important sacred objects, including the Hope of Georgia icon.

Tsminda Sameba contains many remarkable details. Its nine bells, cast in Germany, can be played mechanically or electronically, and the largest weighs 8.2 tons. Sacred materials from around the world were placed in the foundations, including stones from Mount Zion and the Jordan River, soil from Jerusalem, and earth from the grave of Saint George. Construction was controversial because the site included the Armenian Khojivank cemetery, and remains discovered and reburied without proper rites prompted protests. Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II personally participated in the decoration, painting several icons and creating an image of the Mother of God near the entrance.