Vardzia

Appears in
Tasting Georgia: A Food and Wine Journey in the Caucasus
Tasting Georgia

By Carla Capalbo

Published 2017

  • About
The medieval cave city of Vardzia is the beacon that attracts visitors to this remote but stunning part of Georgia, close to the border with Armenia. Begun in the 12th century by King Giorgi III as a strategically placed fortification, Vardzia became a vast monastery and military complex under his daughter, Tamara. The hidden city was dug from the tufa rock at over 1,300 metres (4,265 feet) above sea level, and commands the Mtkvari River valley.

It is said that during times of war, the city could hold up to 10,000 soldiers, 600 horses and many more people. Each room had running water and was lit by torches. The armies trained and hid in the city during the day, sweeping down to surprise and vanquish their enemies by night. Wine was an important part of monastic and military life as Vardzia’s 25 cellars attest, with over 185 qvevri buried within them. Originally much of the maze of tunnels, rooms and 13 churches was spread over 19 floors, and was not visible from the valley below. The violent earthquake of 1283 damaged and filled many of the caves: the mountainside nearest the valley broke away, revealing the caves’ existence. Recent work has reopened about 40 percent of the city to visitors. Wear robust hiking shoes: the path through Vardzia is steep in parts and quite challenging.