Zoroastrian Fire Temple Ateshgah

Why is it significant?

Step through the modest residential courtyard on Gomi Street to behold the ancient brick walls of the Ateshgah, or Temple of Fire.

Key Facts

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Step through the modest residential courtyard on Gomi Street to behold the ancient brick walls of the Ateshgah, or Temple of Fire. Dating back to the fifth or sixth century during the Sasanian Persian dominion over Caucasian Iberia, this extraordinary square temple is universally recognized as one of the northernmost surviving Zoroastrian holy places in the world. The name Ateshgah derives directly from the Persian words atesh, meaning fire, and gah, meaning place or throne, designating a sacred sanctuary where an eternal flame was worshipped.

Examine the ancient structure, built as a four-arched chahar-taq pavilion of thick red plinthite bricks and limestone bedrock. The square chamber originally supported a hemispherical dome with open arched portals on each side, designed to allow fresh air to feed the sacred fire burning on a central stone altar. In the eighteenth century, following centuries of religious shifts, a protective curved roof and outer brick walls were added, which inadvertently shielded the ancient core from total demolition.

Zoroastrianism, the ancient dualistic faith founded by the prophet Zarathustra, revered fire as the purest earthly manifestation of Ahura Mazda, the supreme Lord of Wisdom and Light. During the Sasanian era, Persian priests known as mobads maintained the eternal flame day and night with fragrant sandalwood and sacred rituals. Remarkably, this pagan fire temple survived inside the capital through centuries of fervent Christian rule, standing within mere footsteps of Orthodox cathedrals, an Armenian basilica, and a Muslim mosque.

Gazing into the dim, shadowy interior of this five-hundred-year-old sanctuary evokes a profound sense of antiquity. It serves as a tangible, silent reminder of the vast Persian imperial world that once met the Caucasus mountains at this cultural crossroad. The preservation of the Ateshgah stands as a supreme monument to Tbilisi's extraordinary capacity to safeguard diverse religious memories through the ages.

Ascend the stone footpath climbing up to the crest of the Sololaki Ridge Panoramic Trail.