GeorgiaOfficial tourism
Bolnisi Sioni

Where Georgian writing first spoke its name

Bolnisi Sioni

Why go

Bolnisi Sioni stands as the birthplace of visible Georgian identity. Built in the 480s, this three-aisle basilica holds the Bolnisi inscription—carved above the east window in 493 AD, the oldest dated text in the Georgian language. The words 'ქართლ' (Kartli) and 'წმინდა' (holy) emerge from rough-hewn stone, marking the moment Georgians chose to record themselves in their own tongue rather than Greek or Aramaic. The architecture blends Persian-influenced brickwork with early Christian basilica form, reflecting Kvemo Kartli's position on the cultural frontier. For anyone tracing how a people becomes a nation, this is the first page.

On the ground See

  • The 493 AD Georgian inscription above the east window, with its distinctive curved asomtavruli script
  • The original 5th-century terracotta frieze fragments depicting vines and crosses, now preserved inside
  • The nearby Bolnisi Museum, housing early medieval artifacts from the region's Zoroastrian and Christian periods

Practical Know before you go

Best visited April–June or September–October; 90 minutes by car from Tbilisi via the Tbilisi–Rustavi highway, with infrequent marshrutka service from Tbilisi's Samgori station.

Last reviewed 25 August 2026 · reviewed quarterly