Why go
Anchiskhati Basilica is the oldest surviving church in Tbilisi, built in the 6th century when the city itself was barely two centuries old. Its rough-hewn stone walls and unadorned basilica plan preserve the austere spirit of early Georgian Christianity, untouched by the elaborate domes that would later define the national style. Inside, a 7th-century icon of Christ—reputedly brought from Anchi Monastery, hence the name—still draws the faithful. The church survived Arab, Seljuk, Mongol, and Soviet rule, serving continuously for fifteen centuries as witness to Tbilisi's resilience. It offers rare intimacy with Georgia's deepest roots: no reconstructed glory, just enduring stone and whispered prayer.