Georgia marks day of ancient capital Mtskheta, Svetitskhoveli UNESCO monument

Today Georgia is marking the day of its ancient capital Mtskheta and the Svetitskhoveli cathedral, a UNESCO world heritage monument in the city.

Hundreds of believers and visitors traditionally flock to the cathedral, located in the centre of the city placed at the confluence of Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers, about 20 km northwest of capital Tbilisi.

While a range of events usually accompany the celebrations of the former capital and the cathedral - which were set to be joined by the programme of the new Wine Days festival - they have been cancelled following the death of a 13-year-old girl in an incident in Tbilisi’s Vake Park recreational area on Thursday.

Svetitskhoveli is the second largest church in the country after Tbilisi’s Holy Trinity Cathedral, and was built in the 11th century by Georgian architect Arsukisdze.

The site of the monument is older and dates back to the 4th century CE, when an original church was built in the location. It is surrounded by a number of legends associated primarily with early Christian traditions, including one that says it houses the burial site of Christ's mantle. 

Svetitskhoveli is listed as a UNESCO world heritage site along with other historical monuments of Mtskheta.