Samshvilde Sioni

In the ruined settlement there are many ruins of fortification, cult and other buildings, most important of which is the monument of Georgian architecture of the VIII c. Samshvilde Sioni – large central-domed Episcopal church (coordinates: 41.302462 44.30196). The church is ruined, east part is relatively better preserved. The history of construction of the church is narrated, historical persons –Byzantine Emperors Constantine V Kopronim and Leon IV Khazar are mentioned in the long inscription preserved on the east façade. On the basis of this inscription it became possible to determine the exact date of construction of this churchy – 759- 777 (this is the most cruel period of Arabs’ reign in Georgia. Samshvilde Sioni is related to Georgian architecture of IV-VII c.c. by the nature of processing of architectural details, strict forms and profiles, widely spread planes of cut-stone-finished walls, strictness of decoration. Most of all Samshvilde Sioni relates to Tsromi church.

The church layout here has right-angled shape prolonged from the east to the west as well. In its east part there are altar with apses, sacristry and sacrificial altar; dome was supported by 4 freely standing columns, but unlike Tsromi, the layout of Samshvilde Sioni is complicated – there were long galleries along the south and east sides of the church, which had independent eukterions in the east. Samshvilde Sioni resembles Tsromi church by appearance as well. There are niches on each side of middle window on eastern façade, but one more pair of niches is added.