Anchiskhati Basilica

Shavteli was once the throbbing medieval hub of the Old Town. Here you'll find the Anchiskhati Basilica, the oldest surviving church in Tbilisi, built by King Gorgasali's son Dachi in the 6th century. The name comes from the icon of Anchi Cathedral in Klarjeti (now in Turkey), brought here in the 17th century and now in the Fine Arts Museum.

The church is a three-nave basilica that has been restored several times, most notably in the 17th century, when the brick pillars and upper walls were made. In 1958 restorers found the remains of 17th-century frescoes under the 19th-century ones. Just west of the church is a brick bell tower and gatehouse, typical of late-medieval eastern Georgian style.