GeorgiaOfficial tourism
Holy Trinity Cathedral (Sameba)

Golden crown rising from ancient hills

Holy Trinity Cathedral (Sameba)

Why go

Sameba stands as Georgia's spiritual resurrection made stone. Consecrated in 2004 after a decade of construction, it was built to mark 1,500 years of Georgian autocephaly and to honor the thousands of churches destroyed under Soviet rule. Its soaring 87-meter central dome, sheathed in gold, was crafted using traditional methods by Georgian artisans. The cathedral complex includes a monastery, seminary, and the residence of the Patriarch of Georgia. What makes it essential is not merely scale—though it holds 15,000 faithful—but how it embodies a nation's reclaimed voice, its mosaics and frescoes narrating millennia of resilience.

On the ground See

  • The underground Chapel of St. King David the Builder, where the crypt holds relics and the walls bear frescoes of Georgia's nine martyred kings
  • The cathedral's monumental bronze doors depicting the life of Christ, cast in Tbilisi and weighing several tons each
  • The panoramic view from the eastern terrace over the Mtkvari River gorge toward Narikala Fortress and the Old Town

Practical Know before you go

Open daily 8am–10pm; services most active Sunday mornings; dress modestly with covered shoulders and knees; the complex sits atop Elia Hill, reachable by taxi or steep walk from Avlabari metro.

Last reviewed 25 August 2026 · reviewed quarterly