Tbilisi — Royal Conversion Seal

Your quest for the Seal of Royal Conversion begins at Freedom Square in Tbilisi, dominated by the 20-meter-high 2006 Freedom Statue, a symbol of Georgian independence. It is here, in front of the City Hall, an eclectic-style building from the early 20th century, that major political gatherings in Tbilisi have marked modern history. But the roots of this square go much deeper, to the 4th century, the era of the Christianization of the Kingdom of Iberia (Kartli) by Saint Nino and King Mirian III. This starting point anchors you in a city whose resilience is as ancient as its faith.

Proceed to the National Museum of Georgia (History Wing), where archaeological collections document the pre-Christian period and the conversion of the 4th-5th centuries. Artifacts from the Kingdom of Iberia (Kartli) illustrate the reign of King Mirian III and the beginnings of Christianization. You will discover ancient Georgian illuminated manuscripts, such as 6th-century palimpsests, which recount the early days of Christianity in Georgia, offering insight into the challenges and triumphs of this foundational period of Georgian Christian Heritage.

Your journey then takes you to the Patriarchate of Georgia, seat of the Catholicos-Patriarch since the 17th century. This central institution of the Georgian Church preserves archives and relics related to the mission of Saint Nino and the establishment of Christianity in the 4th century. The current building, dating from the 19th century, is located near the historic center of Tbilisi and embodies the continuity of a faith that has shaped national identity, a key element of the 4th century Royal Conversion.

Kashveti Church, built in 1910 in Neo-Georgian style, commemorates the site of an older 6th-century church. Its name, meaning 'Church of the Stone', refers to the tradition of Saint Nino planting a vine cross. Its mosaics and frescoes illustrate the royal conversion and Georgian saints, offering an artistic perspective on the events that transformed Georgia. From there, you cross Rike Park and the Bridge of Peace (2010), an emblematic glass and steel structure of contemporary Tbilisi, connecting the banks of the Mtkvari, near the remains of medieval fortifications and the first Christian settlements of Tbilisi.

Your exploration of medieval Tbilisi concludes on Gorgasali Street, named after Vakhtang Gorgasali, 5th-century king and legendary founder of Tbilisi. This historic district, with its medieval architecture, leads you to Metekhi Cathedral, founded in the 5th century and rebuilt in the 13th. Dominated by the equestrian statue of King Vakhtang Gorgasali since 1968, it is associated with the mission of Saint Nino and the conversion of King Mirian III, a central theme of your cultural escape game Georgia. At the Tbilisi History Museum, in the 19th-century Caravanserai, you discover collections on the Christianization and religious evolution from the 4th to the 18th centuries, thus closing the chapter of the Royal Conversion and the Seal of Royal Conversion.