Wender·Vista
Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
shown on ceramic, 12-inch tileGeorgia
in Mtskheta, where the Aragvi meets the Mtkvari

Svetitskhoveli Cathedral

— — a robe kept under a pillar that wept.

— Where it lives

Not only on a wall.

A small tile on the nightstand catching the morning. A larger one above the fire. Yours, wherever you spend the slow hours.
— On the nightstand, a 6-inch on a walnut stand
— Among the books, a 6-inch leaning into the spines
— Beside the kettle, a 12-inch propped
— Down a quiet hall, an 18-inch floating off the wall
— Above the fire, the 24-inch in a walnut surround
— a note from the studio

“The cathedral at the heart of Mtskheta, the old royal capital of Georgia. Built in dressed sandstone between 1010 and 1029 by the architect Arsukisdze, on the spot where, by tradition, the seamless robe of Christ was buried. Coronations happened here. Kings are buried beneath the floor. The Mtkvari runs past the south wall, and the hill of Jvari rises across the water. from the studio

from the studio
Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
— bring it home

Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, on ceramic.

Each tile is finished by hand in our Knoxville studio. Artwork is slowly infused into the ceramic surface under high heat and pressure, and rests beneath a thin glossy finish. The colour lives in the surface, not on top of it.

What kind of piece?
One tile — square or rectangle.
How big?
the popular one — counter, shelf, nightstand
6 × 6 in · 15 cm · 1.6 lb
Surface finish
A clear glossy finish — the artwork reads as if under resin. Ideal for show-pieces and framed wall art.
How it sits
A hidden cleat — sits ¼″ proud of the wall.
$58
Hand-finished and shipped from our studio at the foot of the Smokies. On your wall in about ten days.
— size
6 × 6 in
15 cm
— weighs
1.6 lb
solid in the hand
— surface
ceramic, hand-finished
art rests beneath a thin glossy finish
— from
Knoxville, TN
our family studio, at the foot of the Smokies
— start a Coaster Set

Pick any four 4-inch tiles — National Parks you've been to, a Smokies set, the four seasons of one place. $ for a set of , cork-backed, ready to live on the table.

— about Svetitskhoveli Cathedral

The place, in three passes.

A little of what's known, in case you fall down the rabbit hole — or want to go see it yourself.
— the place

Svetitskhoveli stands in Mtskheta, the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Iberia, at the confluence of the Aragvi and the Mtkvari rivers about 20 kilometres north-west of Tbilisi. The present cathedral, completed in 1029 under King Giorgi I, replaced a fourth-century basilica on the same ground. The site is part of the Historical Monuments of Mtskheta, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1994. It remains the seat of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia and the mother church of the Georgian Orthodox tradition.

— the stone

The cathedral is built of dressed yellow-grey sandstone, cruciform in plan, crowned by a tall central dome on a sixteen-window drum. The architect Arsukisdze signed his work on the north façade beneath a carved relief of a hand holding a bevel. Inside, the lower courses of the earlier fourth-century church remain visible, and a small stone canopy marks the burial place of the robe. Frescoes from the seventeenth century, restored across the past two decades, cover the apse and the dome.

— informed by Georgian National Museum
— the visit

Mtskheta sits a short marshrutka or taxi ride north of Tbilisi along the Georgian Military Highway. The cathedral is open daily for worship and visitors; entry is free and modest dress is required, with women's headscarves provided at the gate. The fortified walls around the courtyard and the small bell tower belong to a sixteenth-century rebuilding under Catholicos-Patriarch Melkhisedek I. Jvari Monastery on the ridge opposite, from the late sixth century, frames the classic view across the river.

— where
Georgia · Mtskheta, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Georgia
— position
41.8419° N · 44.7211° E
— the neighborhood

What's nearby.

A handful of named places within an hour's walk or short drive. Some we've already painted; some we will.
2 km E
Jvari Monastery
6th-century church
20 km SE
Tbilisi
capital city
1 km N
Samtavro Monastery
convent
N
Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
Jvari Monastery
Tbilisi
Samtavro Monastery
— common questions

What people ask.

A few questions we get about Svetitskhoveli Cathedral — and about bringing the piece home.
— about the place

In Mtskheta, the old capital of the Kingdom of Iberia, at the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtkvari rivers about 20 kilometres north-west of Tbilisi in eastern Georgia.

The present cathedral was built between 1010 and 1029 under King Giorgi I by the architect Arsukisdze, replacing a fourth-century basilica that stood on the same ground from the conversion of Iberia under Saint Nino.

The name means Living Pillar, after the tradition of a miraculous cedar pillar at the burial site of the seamless robe of Christ, which is said to lie beneath the cathedral floor.

Yes. It was inscribed in 1994 as part of the Historical Monuments of Mtskheta, together with Jvari Monastery on the opposite ridge and Samtavro Monastery nearby.

Yes. The cathedral served as the burial place of Georgian monarchs for centuries, including Vakhtang Gorgasali, the sixth-century king who founded Tbilisi, and members of the later Bagrationi dynasty.

Yes. It remains the seat of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia and the second-most important Georgian Orthodox church after Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi.

— about the piece in your home

Often, yes. Svetitskhoveli is one of the most beloved churches in Georgia, central to family weddings, baptisms, and pilgrimages. A Small or Medium with a handwritten studio note travels well to those who know it.

The honeyed sandstone and deep blues sit well in Old-World, Maximalist, and warm-toned classical interiors. The piece holds against plaster walls, carved wood, and oriental rugs.

Yes. Contemporary interiors are returning to sacred and devotional imagery as quiet focal points, and Eastern Christian work in particular is appearing in current design portfolios.

Above a standard sofa, a single Large or a 4-tile Mural reads at the right scale. Above a console or entry table, a Medium or a pair of Smalls keeps the proportions easy.

Yes, in the Dura Satin or Matte finish. The colour lives in the ceramic surface beneath a sealed top layer, so steam and splash do not affect it.

A soft microfibre cloth with water is enough. Avoid abrasive pads and bleach-based sprays, which can dull the surface over time.

Yes. Every WenderVista piece is curated by Reid Wender and finished by hand in our Knoxville studio. We do not licence the artwork from any outside source.

— if this one stayed with you

A few you might also love.

Hand-picked by the eye that found Sorapis. Same air, same kind of quiet.