Vardzia Cave Monastery

Vardzia Cave Monastery

Vardzia is a southern Georgian cave monastery on the hillside of Erusheti Mountain on the Kura River's left bank. They were mainly built in the second half of the 12th century. The caves extend along the cliff for about five hundred meters and in up to nineteen levels. It was an essential center of culture, a place of important literary and artistic works. The Church of the Dormition, which dates from the 1180s during the golden age of Tamar and Rustaveli, contains an impressive series of paintings. After the Ottoman conquest in the 16th century, the site was mostly deserted. It is now part of a state heritage reserve, and the extensive area of Vardzia-Khertvisi has been submitted for future inscription on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. There are fifteen churches in the greater Vardzia area. Apart from the Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos, the most important ones are the early eleventh century church of Zeda Vardzia and the tenth to twelfth century rock village and cave churches of Ananauri. There are original frescoes in the latter. The main lower site, at an elevation of thirteen hundred meters above sea level, was carved out of the central layer of tuffaceous breccia of the cliff. Altogether there are about 500 caves, and The Church of the Dormition divides it into eastern and western parts. The eastern part of the complex consists of 79 individual caves, arranged in eight levels, with a total of 242 rooms, among which are six chapels, "Tamar's Room", a meeting room, a reception room, a pharmacy, and twenty-five wine cellars. In the western part, another forty houses in thirteen floors, totaling 165 rooms, including six chapels, refectory with bakery.