Uplistsikhe Cave

Uplistsikhe (meaning Lord of the Fortress) was a massive cave town located 10 kilometers east of Gori. Uplistsikhe is one of the Most Beautiful Caves in Georgia, which was built between 6 BC and 1 AD, had become one of the most important political and religious centers of the pre-Christian Kartli, with temples to pagan gods. Following the Arab conquest of Tbilisi in 645 AD, Uplistsikhe became the residence of the Christian kings of Kartli and an important trading post on the main caravan route from Asia to Europe. The Mongols eventually destroyed Uplistsikhe in 1240. Uplistsikhe now consists of the inner city territory of 40 000 m2, which has been preserved from the original massive settlement. Almost all of the caves and findings here were discovered during archaeologists' excavations beginning in the 1950s. The majority of the excavated artifacts – beautiful gold, silver, and bronze jewelry, as well as magnificent fragments of ceramics and sculptures – can be seen at Tbilisi's National Museum.

At first glance, this ancient complex appears to be abstract and formless. It is noteworthy that Uplistsikhe is Georgia's oldest settlement, dating back to the Iron Age, or the second millennium BC. The cave town of Uplistsikhe is now on UNESCO's list of World Cultural Heritage sites. A narrow tunnel connects the central area, which contains the majority of the rock structures, to the lower area. The majority of rock structures are devoid of any decorative elements; however, larger structures may contain elements of stone carving. A Christian stone basilica dating from the 10th century can be found in the upper part of the complex.

Location: Gori, Georgia