Pop-Up Card (Sioni Cathedral)
I’m creating pop-up cards modeled after buildings in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. While I haven’t updated the main site yet, I’ve completed two cards, so I’m updating just the blog as an interim report.
The model for this pop-up card is Sioni Cathedral, belonging to the Georgian Orthodox Church.
The Georgian Orthodox Church was an independent Orthodox Church, but when Georgia was annexed by Russia in 1801, the Georgian Church was incorporated into the Russian Orthodox Church.
It regained its independence after the Russian Revolution of 1917.
The earliest church that became the basis for Sioni Cathedral was apparently built around the 6th to 7th centuries.
The current building was constructed by King David IV in the 12th century, but it subsequently suffered repeated looting and destruction by invaders.
Invasions occurred by the Khwarazmian Empire in the 13th century, Timur in the 14th century, and Persia in the 16th and 17th centuries, with repairs made each time.
It also suffered damage from an earthquake in 1668.
When occupied by the Ottoman Empire in the 18th century, orders were issued to convert it into a mosque.
The most recent destruction from invasion occurred during the Iranian invasion of 1795, when a fire broke out inside.
Georgia was annexed by Russia in the early 19th century, and the cathedral was restored again during the Russian rule too.
The Cross of Saint Nino is a symbol of the Georgian Orthodox Church. Legend holds it existed since the 4th century and was originally kept in Mtskheta (an ancient capital about 20 km northwest of Tbilisi). After enduring wars, the cross was moved and reportedly presented to Russian Emperor Alexander I in 1801.
Alexander I returned the cross to Sioni Cathedral in 1802, where it has been kept ever since.
Sioni Cathedral has two bell towers.
One is the 15th-century tower on the north side of the cathedral. Destroyed during wars in the 18th century, it was restored in 1939. This is the bell tower depicted on this pop-up card.
The other is the new bell tower, built in 1812 across the street to the west of the cathedral.
I didn’t make a pop-up card for this one.
I plan to make one or two more pop-up cards of Tbilisi buildings, and once they’re done, I’ll update the main website.
That will likely be the last update this year (excluding the blog).