Sioni was originally built in the 6th and 7th centuries, but has been destroyed and rebuilt many times, and what you see today is mainly 13th century. It is of special significance for Georgians because it's home to the cross of St Nino which, according to legend, is made from vine branches bound with the saint’s own hair. A replica of the cross sits behind a bronze grille to the left of the icon screen. The real thing is kept safe inside.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
11.32 MILES
This extraordinary (and for its time, enormous) building dates from the 11th century, early in the golden age of Georgian church architecture. It has an…
0.27 MILES
Dominating the Old Town skyline, Narikala dates right back to the 4th century, when it was a Persian citadel. Most of the walls were built in the 8th…
0.63 MILES
For most visitors the highlight here is the hall of wonderful canvases by Georgia’s best-known painter Pirosmani (Niko Pirosmanashvili, 1862–1918),…
0.14 MILES
Tbilisi's most exhilarating ride is its massively popular cable car, which swings from the south end of Rike Park high over the Mtkvari River and the Old…
10.83 MILES
Visible for kilometres around on its hilltop overlooking Mtskheta from the east, Jvari is, to many Georgians, the holiest of holies. It stands where King…
0.49 MILES
The major highlight of the impressive national museum is the basement Archaeological Treasury, displaying a wealth of pre-Christian gold, silver and…
0.22 MILES
The landmark Metekhi Church, and the 1960s equestrian statue of King Vakhtang Gorgasali beside it, occupy the strategic rocky outcrop above the Metekhi…
0.84 MILES
The ride up Mt Mtatsminda on the city's funicular is spectacular, as are the views from the top – and there are a couple of great places to eat or drink,…
Nearby Tbilisi attractions
0.03 MILES
The eclectic exhibits here, housed in an old caravanserai, range from models and photos to high-society and folk costumes from the 19th century, and…
0.05 MILES
The large Armenian Norasheni Church, dating from 1793, has been long disused but tentative (and still incomplete) renovations began in 2015.
0.07 MILES
Little Jvaris Mama stands on a site where a church has stood since the 5th century. The current incarnation dates from the 16th century and its interior…
0.12 MILES
The Bridge of Peace, a rather incongruously modern glass-and-steel footbridge over the Mtkvari with a totally unnecessary roof, was designed by Italian…
0.14 MILES
Tbilisi's most exhilarating ride is its massively popular cable car, which swings from the south end of Rike Park high over the Mtkvari River and the Old…
0.14 MILES
In tsarist times Meidan was the site of Tbilisi’s bustling main bazaar. Today it's busy with traffic but opens to the Metekhi Bridge over the Mtkvari –…
0.17 MILES
This green expanse along the eastern riverbank, with its winding paths, pools and fountains, is joined to the west side of the Mtkvari by the Bridge of…
8. Armenian Cathedral of St George
0.17 MILES
This large cathedral just above Meidan was founded in 1251, though the current structure dates mainly from the 18th century. Its interior has colourful…