Vardzia

Vardzia is one of Georgia’s most significant sites. 

First though, if you’re coming from the Akhaltsikhe direction, stop at Khertvisi Fortress, dramatically sited on a cliff above the confluence of the Paravani and Mtkvari Rivers. It’s one of the oldest fortresses in Georgia, dating back to the 2nd Century BC, at least according to the 11th century Georgian chronicler Leonti Mroveli. He argued Khertvisi was one of the oldest Georgian towns. We have little knowledge about Khertvisi until mediaeval times. The structures that still exist today date back to the 10th-14th centuries.

After the Kingdom of Georgia disintegrated, Khertvisi belonged to the noble Jakeli family that ruled the local region known as Samtskhe-Atabegate. From the 16th to the 18th centuries, this area was part of the Ottoman Empire. Khertvisi returned to Georgia in 1828. The fortress comprises a citadel with curtain walls, towers, and a lower yard. There are two tunnels from the north leading down to the river, so the fortress could have a water supply.

Vardzia is cut into a towering cliff and was established as a stronghold against the Turkish Sultanate (the Turkish border is only 10 kilometres away) by King Georgi III in the 12th century. Vardzia was subsequently developed by his daughter, Tamar, who created a cave monastery that became a centre of Georgian culture. This network of caves above the Mtkvari (Kura) River once numbered 3000, with up to 19 tiers in some places. Much of it was destroyed after a huge earthquake in 1456 and only 550 caves have been discovered since. There are many churches, meeting halls, refectories, and wine cellars, all interconnected by tunnels and stairways. Some of these stairs are steep and not of a consistent width, so you might have to watch your step when descending.