Poti Cathedral

Poti Cathedral, also known as Poti Soboro Cathedral, is a beautiful church in the city of Poti in Georgia. It belongs to the Georgian Orthodox Church and stands in the heart of the city's downtown area. This cathedral is an important religious and cultural site for the local community. People visit it not only for worship but also to admire its architecture and history. The cathedral reflects the rich traditions and faith of the Georgian people.

History

The Poti Cathedral was built between 1906 and 1907. It looks like the famous Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. The mayor of Poti, Niko Nikoladze, helped a lot and chose a central spot so everyone in Poti could see it.

Two architects, Alexander Zelenko and Robert Marfeld, designed the cathedral in a Neo-Byzantine style. It could hold up to 2,000 people. The decorations are inspired by old Christian churches in the Trabzon mountains. The cathedral has three special screens called iconostases, and some of the most important pictures on them show St. Nino, St. Andrew, and St. David the Builder.

It was one of the first churches to use strong concrete in its building. After the Red Army invasion of Georgia in 1923, the church was changed into a theater, and its bells were given to help build new factories. In 2005, the cathedral was returned to the Georgian Orthodox Church.