While searching for sights around Bakuriani and Borjomi, you can find two interesting monasteries located behind Akhaltsikhe. These are: Vardzia and Vanis Kvabebi.
We decided to visit these places together with our friends from Bakuriani Ski Resort.
Both monasteries are located nearby. Vanis Kvabebi is first, Vardzia is behind.
GPS coordinates for Garmin/Navitel:
N41.3824036, E43.308084 – Vanis Kvabebi
N 41.3812068, E 43.2841627 – Vardzia
Vanis Kvabebi is the oldest one. It is dated by 8th century. The construction includes several levels of rock tunnels and two churches.
The monastery is active, but everyone is allowed to get inside. We couldn’t miss this opportunity.
Vadis Kvabebi has about 19 floors/levels! The tour will be a hard one.
It looks pretty simple at the beginning. Stone stairs…
…and nice caves around.
So we quickly did our way to Saint George church that is located on lower levels. No one knows when the church was built. There is no information in scripts about it. It is considered that its construction began together with construction of the whole monastery. There are no walls, but an altar arch and a part of the dome survived.
The outer part of our way ends. We are quite high. The view around is already exciting.
The path becomes more narrow…
…and we get inside.
Numerous cells…
…and ladders.
Finally we reach the top!
The way was not a simple one. Narrow passages, low ceilings, breathlessness…
But here we are! Near the second church of the monastery. It is not cut off the stone, but built of bricks. The date of its construction is also unknown. No scripts about it, the architectural style is quite unique and can hardly be found among Georgian church construction epochs.
This is the highest point. Let’s catch a breath and do some photos…
These are cells inside.
Window view.
The place is extremely beautiful!
Some tunnels and rooms are destroyed and it is quite dangerous to walk around! These stairs lead to nowhere.
The view is magnificent, but we need to move forward.
Vardzia is waiting for us!
Vardzia is a cave monastery dated by 12-13 centuries. 600 caves and rooms are cut on the rocks of Erusheti Mountain slopes, hanging over Mtkvari River. These are: churches, chapels, cells, warehouses, dining-rooms and libraries. Some of them are going 50 meters deep inside the rocks. The condition of place is quite good. Hidden tunnels, water pipes and even irrigation systems survived. The heart of the complex is the Church of The Dormition with its unique frescoes.
We were too tired to explore the inside part of Vardzia this time. But it is not our last visit to Georgia, so we will have an opportunity to research this place in future!
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