A masterpiece of the Early and High Middle Ages, Svetitskhoveli is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Known as the burial site of the claimed Christ's mantle, Svetitskhoveli has long been one of the principal Georgian Orthodox churches and is among the most venerated places of worship in the region.

The present cross-in-square structure was completed between 1010 and 1029 by the medieval Georgian architect Arsukisdze, although the site itself dates back to the early fourth century.

Svetitskhoveli is considered an endangered cultural landmark;[3] it has survived a variety of adversities, and many of its priceless frescoes have been lost due to being whitewashed by the Russian Imperial authorities.

Returning to his native city, he was met by his sister Sidonia who, upon touching the Robe, immediately died from the emotions generated by the sacred object.

Reproduced widely throughout Georgia, it shows Sidonia's corpse at the root of a cedar tree stump, with an angel lifting the column towards heaven.

Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, originally built in the 4th century, has been damaged several times during history, notably by the invasions of Arabs, Persians and Timurids, and latterly during Russian subjugation and the Soviet period.

The cathedral is surrounded by a defensive wall, built of stone and brick during the reign of King Erekle II (Heraclius) in 1787.

The cathedral is set on a flat lowland, amidst the old town of Mtskheta as its most significant construction, visible from nearly every spot.

The base of the three-storey basilica, supposed to have been built by Vakhtang Gorgasali after St.Nino's original church, was found by archaeologists during the restoration of 1970–71.

The arches genuinely ascend or descend according to height of the corresponding part of the facade, creating an impression of constant movement.

Above it, two low-reliefs, an eagle with open wings and a lion under it, are set to the south from the three more recent accessory windows under the roof.

In the 1830s, when Emperor Nicholas I was scheduled to visit Mtskheta, Russian authorities razed the galleries and whitewashed timeless frescoes as part of an effort to give the cathedral a "tidier look"; in the end the Czar never even came.

Today, after much careful restoration, some frescoes survive, including a 13th-century depiction of the "Beast of the Apocalypse" and figures of the Zodiac.

Two bulls' heads on the east façade, remnants of the 5th-century church, attest to the folk influence on Christian iconography in that early period.

Built between the end of the 13th and the beginning the 14th centuries, it was erected here to mark Svetitskhoveli as the second most sacred place in the world (after the church of Jerusalem), thanks to Christ's robe.

In front of this stone chapel, the most westerly structure aligned with the columns between the aisle and the nave marks Sidonia's grave.

Scenes of the lives of King Mirian and Queen Nana, and portraits of the first Christian Byzantine Emperor, Constantine I, and his mother Helena, were painted by G. Gulzhavarashvili at that time.

It no longer serves this function, as current tradition requires a throne for the Georgian patriarch to be in the centre of the church.

The tomb of King Vakhtang Gorgasali can be found in the central part of the cathedral and identified by the small candle fortress standing before it.

The cathedral stands in the middle of the large yard, surrounded by high walls with towers, dating back to 18th century.

The tower is faced by stones, with archature and two bull heads on the west facade, and has a passage with volt on the ground floor.