ATENI SIONI CROSS-DOMED CHURCH
78 Km from Tbilisi
7 th C
Ateni Sioni is a masterpiece of monumental architectural art. It stands on a cliff side on the outskirts of a small village. The church dates back to the first half of the 7th century. It is built of carved greenish-grey sandstone which turns red when it gets old. It has two entrances: southern and northern ones. The walls of the church display unique Georgian writings of different periods. The murals, completed in the second half of the 11th century, follow the old Georgian traditional iconographical style. Most of the splendid frescoes are still visible today.