Similar to Uplistsikhe but larger and even more impressive are the ruins of Vardzia, a massive cave city built into the side of a mountain during Georgia’s medieval golden age. Construction began in the 12th century under King George III and continued under his daughter, Queen Tamar. Much of the complex was hidden within the mountain, but a major earthquake in the 13th century caused part of the mountainside to collapse, exposing many of the chambers that can be seen today.
To give you an idea of its size, at its peak Vardzia contained thousands of rooms spread across multiple levels of the mountain. Walking through the ruins today means climbing ancient steps and passing through chambers and tunnels carved directly into the rock. One of the photos above shows a secret passageway, while another shows one of the structures visible along the exposed face of the complex.
Some of Vardzia’s greatest treasures are inside the Church of the Dormition, where medieval frescoes have survived for centuries. Among them are depictions of Queen Tamar and her father, King George III, who were responsible for the creation and expansion of Vardzia. Seeing artwork like this still preserved inside a city carved into a mountain was one of the most impressive parts of exploring the site.
