Samtavisi Cathedral

An 11th-century cross-domed cathedral in central Georgia celebrated for the richly ornamented decoration of its eastern facade. The intricate stone carving, arranged around a large cross and window motifs, became a model imitated in later Georgian churches. The building stands within a walled enclosure that also contains a bishop's palace and a bell tower. Though damaged and repaired over the centuries, the cathedral retains its harmonious proportions and remains a key example of the golden age of medieval Georgian architecture.