We are now in the Sioni Cathedral precinct, one of the most revered places in Georgia. As you enter the courtyard through an arched gate off Sioni Street, the busy city hushes a bit and you’re greeted by the sight of a stout stone church with a conical dome – the Cathedral of the Dormition, commonly called Sioni. This has been Tbilisi’s main cathedral for most of the past millennium, until the new Sameba Cathedral was built. But Sioni remains the spiritual heart of Old Tbilisi. The origins of this cathedral trace back to the fifth century, with its initial construction attributed to King Vakhtang Gorgasali, the very founder of Tbilisi.However, the structure has been destroyed multiple times – by Arab invaders, by Timur’s armies and by Persians only to be rebuilt each time. The current building largely dates to the thirteenth century with additions in the seventeenth. Despite these reconstructions, walking into Sioni feels like stepping deep into history and if it is open, it is usually free to enter, so feel free to step inside. Its stone walls are painted with frescoes depicting Georgian saints and biblical scenes. But the most precious object here, and one of Georgia’s greatest religious treasures, is the Cross of Saint Nino. Saint Nino is the fourth-century female evangelist who converted the Georgian kingdom to Christianity. According to legend, she received a vision to make a cross from two grapevines and tie it with her own hair. This humble grapevine cross, now bound in silver, is kept in an ornate reliquary in Sioni Cathedral. It is considered the holiest relic in the Georgian Orthodox Church. Many believers make pilgrimages here just to venerate it. One interesting fact: the name Sioni comes from Mount Zion in Jerusalem. Georgian kings and churchmen long ago liked to name important churches after holy sites in the Holy Land – hence this main cathedral is “Tbilisi Sion,” same as Jerusalem’s Zion. Now, stepping back onto Sioni Street, we’ll meander a short way to Meidan Square and the bustling Shardeni Street area – the lively core of the Old Town where trade and travel converged.