Cave settlements of Georgia - Vardzia and Uplistsikhe

There are two ancient cave settlements in Georgia, Vardzia and Uplistsikhe, which were hollowed out in the thickness of the tuff mountains. Both settlements are outstanding monuments of medieval fortification architecture and are of great interest. There are just a few settlements of such scale in the world, and two of them are located in Georgia.

The route from Tbilisi to the cave settlement of Vardzia is quite long, as the distance is 270 kilometers. The journey time will be at least 4 hours. If you want to visit both cave settlements, then you need to plan an overnight stay. It is best to do this in the resort of Borjomi. 

Leave Tbilisi early in the morning and by lunchtime you will arrive in the Cave settlement of Vardzia. Its territory is quite large, so you will be free only after lunch. On the way back to Borjomi, make a short stop near the Khertvisi Fortress. It's right on the road. By the evening you will be in Borjomi, where there are many hotels.

The next day, take a walk through the Central Park of Borjomi, then drive to the city of Gori. The cave town of Uplistsikhe is located in its vicinity. If there is time left, you can go to the Stalin Museum in Gori. After that, return to Tbilisi.

During this 2-day route, the online guide Geomerid advises visiting the following locations:

1. The cave city of Vardzia
2. Khertvisi Fortress
3. Borjomi Resort
4. Uplistsikhe Cave City
5. The Stalin Museum

1.    The cave settlement of Vardzia

The cave settlement of Vardzia began to be created in the mountains of Samtskhe-Javakheti in 1156, during the reign of Tsar George III. The work continued until 1203 during the reign of his daughter Queen Tamara. 

In total, about 600 caves were hollowed out in the Cave settlement of Vardzia. In length, the caves of the city were located at a distance of 900 meters, and the height in some places reached 8 floors. During the heyday, up to 20 thousand residents could live here. In 1184, by order of Queen Tamara, the Monastery of the Assumption of the Virgin was founded in the central part of Vardzia. Now it is the main attraction of the Underground settlement of Vardzia. Unique frescoes of the 13th century have been preserved in the main temple of the monastery. 

2.    Khertvisi Fortress

The Khertvisi Fortress is located on the bank of the Kura River, in the Samatskhe-Javakheti region, in the south of Georgia. This fortress is one of the best preserved examples of medieval fortifications in Georgia.

The Khertvisi Fortress is located in a convenient location, at the confluence of the Kura River and its small tributary Paravani. Above these two rivers rises a rock suitable for the construction of fortifications. The walls of the Fortress of Khertvisi were built in the period of 10-14 centuries. They were damaged during the strong earthquake of 1283.

3.    Borjomi Resort

Borjomi is the most famous balneological resort in Georgia. Borjomi mineral water is very popular in all countries of the former Soviet Union and is sold in dozens of countries around the world. Borjomi Resort is located in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region, 160 kilometers east of Tbilisi. 

Borjomi Resort is located in a narrow mountain gorge of the Borjomula River, 1 kilometer from the place where it flows into the Kura River. In the Central Park there are Source of Borjomi mineral water, the famous sodium bicarbonate water, which has medicinal properties. In addition, 3 kilometers from the pump room, in the upper reaches of the gorge, there are natural Sulfur Baths. Water saturated with hydrogen sulfide has a therapeutic effect on the whole body.

4.    Uplistsikhe Cave Settlement

The caves of the Cave Settlement of Uplistsikhe were hollowed out in the Sandstone rock on the bank of the Kura river in the 1st Millennium BC, and the last inhabitants left it only in the 19th century. In the 4th century BC, Uplistsikhe became a full-fledged town, with numerous streets. 

For a long time Uplistsikhe was a place of worship. Here animals were sacrificed and pagan gods were worshipped, the main one being the female sun deity. For some time after the baptism of Georgia in 337, the inhabitants of Uplistsikhe did not allow Christian preachers to enter the city. The main historical attraction of Uplistsikhe is the Tamara Hall. In the middle ages, it was the Royal residence. In the 11th and 12th centuries, the Georgian state flourished, which was ruled by kings from the Bagration dynasty. The reign of Queen Tamara is considered its peak. She was crowned in 1178 as co-ruler of her father George III in the main hall of the rock-hewn town of Uplistsikhe. 

5.    The Stalin Museum

Gori is famous for being the birthplace of Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin, therefore the Stalin Museum is located here. He was the leader of the Soviet Union between 1925 and 1953. During this time, many events took place in the USSR. There are many diametrically opposite opinions about it. People can hold different points of view, but the scale of the personality of Joseph Stalin is undeniable. He is certainly one of the greatest statesmen in world history. 

The Joseph Stalin Museum is located on the site of a small house in the center of Gori, where Joseph Dzhugashvili was born on December 6, 1878. His father Vissarion Ivanovich Dzhugashvili was a shoemaker, his mother - Ekaterina Georgievna Geladze (Keke) was a dressmaker.