Description of the attraction
Tsminda Sameba, or the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, is the main cathedral of the Georgian Orthodox Church. Built in 1995-2004. the cathedral rises on the hill of St. Elijah, which is on the left bank of the Kura River. The author of this project was the famous architect Archil Mindiashvili.
The idea of building a new cathedral in the city of Tbilisi was born in 1989 on the eve of the celebration of the 2000th anniversary of the Nativity of Christ and the 1500th anniversary of the autocephaly of the Georgian Orthodox Church. Soon a competition was announced for the best project of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. The competition was won by architect A. Mindiashvili. Due to the social and political crisis, the project was suspended for as long as 6 years, and only in November 1995 the first stone of the foundation for the temple was laid. The grand opening of the cathedral took place on the day of St. George the Victorious November 23, 2004.
Tsminda Sameba has become a real symbol of the country's new achievements and the consolidation of the nation. The construction of the temple was carried out with funds raised by the whole world: someone donated money, someone helped in the construction, and someone provided building materials and all the necessary equipment.
For the complex on Mount St. Elijah, the local authorities have allocated about 11 hectares of land.
The Tsminda Sameba complex is: a cathedral, a chapel, the residence of the patriarch, a man's monastery, theological seminary and academy, hotels and other auxiliary buildings. The total area of the cathedral is 5 thousand square meters, and the height is 101 meters. The bells for the temple were made in Germany. The chapel was equipped with 9 bells with two modes: mechanical and electronic. The largest bell weighs 8200 kg.
The cathedral has 13 thrones. The floors of the cathedral are made of marble tiles and decorated with mosaics. The walls are decorated with paintings and frescoes. In the temple, you can see several valuable icons and a large handwritten Bible lying near the altar. All four facades of Tsminda Sameba are ennobled with arches and several rows of unique carvings.
