Vardzia
12th-century cave monastery carved into a cliff above the Mtkvari, with hundreds of rooms and a frescoed church of Queen Tamar.
VardziaPhoto: Alexkom000, CC BY 4.0Vardzia is a cave monastery cut into the cliffs of Mount Erusheti above the Mtkvari river, about 60 km south of Akhaltsikhe. Built in the second half of the 12th century under King George III and his daughter Queen Tamar, it served as a fortified monastery and refuge on Georgia's southern frontier. Around 500 caves survive, stretching for about half a kilometre along the rock face and rising up to 13 tiers in places. You walk along terraces, stairways and tunnels past monks' cells, chapels, wine cellars, refectories and storerooms.
The heart of the complex is the Church of the Dormition, carved into the rock in the 1180s. Its wall paintings include a rare portrait of Queen Tamar beside her father, painted between his death in 1184 and her marriage in 1186. A tunnel nearby leads to a cold spring known as Tamar's Tears. Allow at least two hours and wear good shoes, as there are many steps and narrow passages. Vardzia is on UNESCO's tentative list for World Heritage status.
History
Work on Vardzia began under King George III (1156-1184), and Queen Tamar turned it into a great monastery after his death, adding the frescoed church, defences, water supply and irrigation by about 1203. A strong earthquake in 1283 sheared off the outer face of the cliff, exposing the rooms you see today and damaging the system that brought water from 3.5 km away. The monastery continued on a smaller scale until Persian forces sacked it in the mid-16th century, and after the Ottoman conquest later that century it was largely abandoned.
What to see and do
- See the portrait of Queen Tamar in the Church of the Dormition
- Walk the terraces and tunnels through hundreds of cave rooms
- Fill a bottle at the Tamar's Tears spring
- Look across the Mtkvari valley to the old terraced slopes
- Combine with Khertvisi Fortress and Vanis Kvabebi on the same road
How to visit
Getting there
Vardzia is about 60 km (1 to 1.5 hours) south of Akhaltsikhe and roughly 230 to 270 km from Tbilisi depending on the route, about 4 hours by car. A few marshrutkas a day run from Akhaltsikhe, with the last return usually in mid-afternoon, and occasional direct minibuses leave Tbilisi in the morning.
When to go
April to June and September to October; early morning in summer. Plan 2-3 hours here.
- Arrive early in July and August, when the cliff gets very hot by midday
- Wear shoes with good grip and carry water
- Cover shoulders and knees for the church; women should bring a headscarf
- A shuttle runs from the ticket office to the start of the walk for a small fee
Vardzia: FAQ
How long does it take to visit Vardzia?
Plan on 2 to 3 hours to walk the cave complex and see the church at an easy pace. Add an hour or two for Khertvisi Fortress and Vanis Kvabebi nearby.
Is Vardzia a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
Not yet. Georgia has placed Vardzia on UNESCO's tentative list, which is the first step towards World Heritage status.
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Nearby places
Straight-line distance from Vardzia.
