The Christian church at Tsilkani was built in the first period of the spread of Christianity in Kartli. According to Georgian historical sources, King "Bakur began building the church of Tsilkani and completed it in his thirty-fifth year". Leonti Mroveli attributes its construction to King Bakar, son of Mirian. Vakhushti Bagrationi records: "At Tsilkani is a church of the Mother of God, domed and beautiful. It was built by the 25th king, Bakar; a bishop sits there, shepherd of Mukhrani, of both Aragvi and Bazaleti"