Vardzia Cave Monastery

Vardzia Cave Monastery is a cave monastery site in southern Georgia, excavated from the slopes of Mount Erusheti on the left bank of the Kura River, thirty kilometers from Aspindza. The main construction period is the second half of the 12th century. The caves stretch along the cliff for about five hundred meters and up to nineteen floors. The monastery was an important cultural center, a place of important literary and artistic works. The Dormition Church, dating from the 1180s during the heyday of Tamar and Rustaveli, has a series of important murals. The site was largely abandoned after the Ottoman takeover in the sixteenth century. Now part of a state heritage reserve, the extended area of Vardzia -Khertvisi has been submitted for inclusion on the future UNESCO World Heritage List.

Without a doubt, the Vardzia cave monastery is one of the most intriguing historical sites that you will visit in Georgia. The cave monastery and underground fortress seem surreal to the eyes as if the structure was built by a bunch of dwarfs. The monastery was built for the Georgian queen to escape the ongoing slaughter by the Mongols during the twelfth century. Vardzia served as a sanctuary for the queen with its 13 underground levels, containing over six thousand apartments along with a throne room and a bell tower.

Location: Southern Georgia