Bolnisi Sioni Church

Address: Bolnisi Sioni, Bolnisi Municipality, Kvemo Kartli, Georgia

Hours: Daylight hours (no formal opening hours)

Admission: Free

Bolnisi Sioni is an early Christian cathedral in the town of Bolnisi in Kvemo Kartli, Georgia, dating to the 5th century and notable for its early Georgian inscription. It is one of the earliest surviving examples of Georgian Christian architecture.

The church is a three-nave stone basilica built in the late 5th century; visitors see original stonework and the inscription panels carved into the masonry, including the inscription conventionally dated to 493 AD. The structure retains early Christian architectural features characteristic of proto-Georgian church building.

The cathedral was erected during the period of early Christianization in the South Caucasus and has survived with later repairs and conservation interventions. It has been studied for its epigraphic material and its importance to early Georgian ecclesiastical history.

Bolnisi Sioni stands in the town of Bolnisi in Kvemo Kartli, on the lowlands of south-central Georgia, roughly 60 km southwest of central Tbilisi.

• Bolnisi inscription: Contains one of the earliest extant Georgian inscriptions, dated to 493 AD, carved in the old Georgian asomtavruli script and visible on the church masonry.

Bolnisi town is about 60-70 km south of Tbilisi and reachable by car in roughly 1-1.5 hours along the S6 road. Minibuses (marshrutkas) run from Tbilisi’s Didube station toward Bolnisi and surrounding towns; from the Bolnisi centre it is a short drive or taxi to the church. Local signage is limited, so a GPS pin or printed directions are useful.

• Study the 5th-century Bolnisi cross detail before entering - the carved letters are among the oldest Georgian inscriptions.
• Go early in the morning to hear the bell peals and avoid the mid-day heat in summer.
• Bring a field guide or photo of Georgian ecclesiastical decoration; the carved capitals reward careful inspection.