Samtskhe-Javakheti Region

Samtskhe-Javakheti is one of Georgia’s most stark and atmospheric regions, defined by high plateaus, volcanic landscapes, and a sense of wide, quiet space. The climate is cooler and harsher than much of the country, with long winters and open plains shaped by wind and altitude. This is a region of slow rhythms, dramatic skies, and strong contrasts between seasons.

The area is known for ancient sites and raw nature: the cave city of Vardzia carved into rock cliffs, medieval fortresses, alpine lakes, and empty roads stretching through grasslands. Villages here feel remote and self-contained, influenced by Armenian and Georgian cultures alike. Samtskhe-Javakheti is not polished or touristy – it appeals most to travelers who value silence, history, and landscapes that feel untouched and elemental.

Lake Paravani

Lake Paravani – a volcanic-tectonic lake in Samtskhe-Javakheti, Ninotsminda Municipality. Located at an altitude of 2073 m above sea level. The lake is frozen in winter, the thickness of the ice varies between 47-73 cm. The rivers: Shaori, Sabadostskali, Rodionovskistskali are connected. The Paravani River originates from the lake. The lake is rich in fish and is quite popular with fishermen. The water is fresh and is used for fish farming.
The villages of Foka, Vladimirovka, Tambovka, Rodionovka, and Aspara are located around Lake Paravani. On the shores of Lake Paravani is the Poka Monastery, and nearby is the Shaori Fortress.

Shaori Fortress

Shaori Fortress is located near the village of Aspara, at an altitude of 2752 meters above sea level. It is a megalithic complex of the 2nd millennium BC. Shaori Fortress is very similar to Abuli Fortress, in terms of natural conditions, construction techniques, uncovered ramparts and access routes. The complex consists of two parts. The “Upper Fortress” is located on a high mountain peak and is built with dry masonry. The thickness of the lower part of the fortress wall is in some cases 3 meters, and the height is 5 meters. Inside the fortress, storage rooms were built, which were located on one or two floors. Most of the storage rooms have separate entrances, while some are connected by doors. The ruins of a staircase have also been preserved here, through which it was possible to climb the wall. Outside the fence, in Karknal, a whole group of hiding places can be found. The upper fortress has only one entrance from the east, from where a wide path paved with large flagstones leads to the low peak of the mountain, the “lower fortress”. This path ends on a flat area to the west of the lower fortress. The lower fortress is also a cyclopean structure. Several menhirs were erected on proven platforms along the road. From the lower fortress, a path descends the mountainside, widens at the foot of the mountain and again turns into a stone path. Traces of a settlement have been confirmed at the foot of the mountain. What the Shaor and Abuli were from a social point of view remains to be investigated, however, it is unlikely that they were permanent dwellings.

Poka

Poka St. Nino’s Monastery  is located in the Ninotsminda municipality of Samtskhe-Javakheti, on the shores of Lake Paravani. It was from this place that the activity of the enlightener of Georgians, Saint Nino, began in our country. Saint Nino entered Georgia from the Armenian side and first stopped at Lake Paravani, where she spent two days. Here she had a miraculous vision: a man with a bright face appeared, who handed her a sealed writing from the Savior and ordered her to go to Mtskheta and give this writing to the king. The awakened saint prayed to the All-Holy Mother of God and headed for Kartli. The Holy Virgin converted King Mirian and Queen Nana to Christianity and soon converted Kakheti as well. That is why our Church calls her Equal to the Apostles.
Poka St. Nino Monastery, a monument of Georgian architecture, dates back to the 11th century. Despite its small size, Poka is one of the most important monuments of the Javakheti area, standing out for its artistic value. 

A monastery was opened there in 1989 and in 1992 the nunnery was established too. At the moment, the nuns produce fantastic cheese, chocolate and other treats. You can taste and buy them as a delicious souvenir from a holy place.
The church is a hall-type church, with ornamented doors and windows. Fragments of ancient artwork have been preserved in its interior. In terms of technical skill and the artistic value of its ornamentation, Poka Church is one of the most outstanding monuments in Javakheti.

The church, which had been damaged over the course of time, has now been completely restored. In front of its eastern facade, in the place where Saint Nino first set foot in Georgia, a small memorial obelisk made of hewn stone has been erected.

Saghamo village and lake

Saghamo’s Church of the Prophet Jonah is located in the village of Saghamo, Ninotsminda Municipality, Samtskhe-Javakheti region.

The church was built in the 10th century. The monument was quite damaged, the vaults collapsed and most of the walls were preserved at the level of the windows. Currently, the church has been restored, its restoration and conservation was carried out, during which part of the apse was covered with glass in order to visually preserve the decoration of the southern door of the original church. On the south side of the apse’s conch support arch, a human relief figure can be found. On the southern facade of the apse, there are two statues made in high relief, both of which are currently damaged, both have broken heads. The eastern window of the apse is two-part and consists of an oval and a small circular opening located below it. This window is decorated with a relief depicting the swallowing and regurgitation of the prophet Jonah. In the evening, near the Church of the Prophet Jonah, you can visit two basilicas from the developed Middle Ages and Lake Saghamo.

Saghamo lake- is located in Ninotsminda municipality, Samtskhe Javakheti region. It is located on the east part of Javakheti volcanic mountains, in Pravani river basin, on the altitude of 1996 meters.

The watershed of the lake is located in the east part of the Samsari range and at the west part of Javakheti range slopes. The south and south-western shores of the lake, built with andesites are downhill and collapsed. From the north side of the lake is a volcanic uplift, which doesn’t create a high bank. The east and south-east banks of the lake are low. Has a trapezoidal shape. It feeds with underground, rain and snow waters. The highest level of water is in May, lowest in September. In winter it freezes for 4-4.5 months. Near the lake is the village Saghamo.

Bughdasheni National Park – includes the lake Bughdasheni and is the part of Javakheti National Park. It includes some territory of Ninotsminda municipality. The national park is located on the south side of the village Gorelovka. Its total area is 126 acres. It was established on 22 of March in 2011. Here you can visit Bughdasheni Lake 

Lake Madatapa is located in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region, in the Ninotsminda municipality, at an altitude of 2108 meters above sea level. It is part of the Madatapa reserve. The blue lake, surrounded by the volcanic mountains and open spaces of Javakheti, is a beautiful sight. This place is perfect for birdwatchers. The lake is often visited by photographers, as many nesting and migratory birds gather here in the summer. The vast views, diverse color gamut, and the environment filled with exotic birds attract many tourists. On the way to Lake Madatapa, you can also visit the village of Gorelovka, where you can enjoy the colorful and unique architecture of the Doukhobors. Lake Madatapai is one of the best places for lovers of relaxation and travel in nature. The lake completely freezes over in winter, transforming the colorful surroundings into a fairy-tale, sparkling white world.

Akhalkalaki Municipality is located in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region. Traces of human life here date back to ancient times. Stone Age settlements, basalt handaxes and other artifacts have been discovered on the territory of Akhalkalaki. There are also traces of Bronze Age and Pre-Ancient settlements in the region. Megaliths attract attention, of which the Murjakheti menhir, Khorenia fortress and Veshapoid, etc. are especially famous. These territories were developed in the Middle Ages. In the 10th century, Akhalkalaki, along with Javakheti, was a princely estate. In the 11th century, it became the political and economic center of Javakheti and was an important center of trade and production. Remains of a craftsman’s district of the 10th-13th centuries, glazed and unglazed clay vessels, glass objects and coins have also been discovered. Akhalkalaki became a separate region in 1930. Nowadays, a museum, theater, and libraries operate in the district.

Akhalkalaki is distinguished by its beautiful landscape, numerous lakes, and interesting cultural monuments, which determine its great tourist potential. The district is visited by many travelers, and the vast expanses of valleys, mountains, and ancient fortresses and temples make a great impression on visitors.

Kumurdo Cathedral

Kumurdo Cathedral  is one of the most important Georgian cathedrals of the 10th century, the ruins of which are preserved in the village of Kumurdo in the Akhalkalaki municipality of the Samtskhe-Javakheti region.

The inscriptions preserved on the walls of the temple indicate that during the reign of the Abkhazian king Leon III, in 964, the Georgian architect Sakotsar began construction of the temple under the leadership of Bishop John (Kumurdoeli). During the reign of Bagrat IV (1027-1072), a southern stoa was built for the temple. The inscription on the western entrance mentions the repair and reconstruction of the church in the 16th century.

The Kumurdo temple is a stone-built, domed building. It has a peculiar, transitional plan: it is cruciform on the outside, and inside it has five semicircular apses and one (western) rectangular arm. On both sides of the altar are apsed deacons and a sacristy, while the southern and northern apses are not radially arranged (as in six-apse churches, to which the temple is genetically related).

Baraleti Church

Baraleti Church — a hall church of the 13th century Georgian architecture in the village of Baraleti, Akhalkalaki Municipality, Georgia.

The church is a three-nave basilica, on the eastern wall of which is an inscription in Asomtavruli: “This church was built in those days, when Lasha sat as king.” The accession of “Javakhtupli” to the throne is especially celebrated in Baraleti. Since basilicas were no longer being built in Georgia at that time (1213), it is likely that this information refers to the restoration or repair of an earlier church.

According to the decree of the President of Georgia in 2006, the Baraleti Church was granted the category of an immovable cultural monument of national importance

You can also visit the XIX century Baraleti Armenian Church in the village.

Abuli Cyclopean Fortress

Abuli Cyclopean Fortress — a dry-stone Cyclopean fortress, located on Mount Patara Abuli (Samtskhe-Javakheti region), at an altitude of 2670 meters above sea level. It strongly resembles the Shaori fortress — similar natural conditions, construction techniques, unroofed towers and approaches. But Abuli fortress is still unique. It must have been one of the foremost centers since ancient times. Its size, strength, inaccessibility, and strategic location are striking: the road to the south passes through it.

Lake Levani

Lake Levani is a glacial lake in Georgia, in the Akhalkalaki municipality. It is located on the Samsri ridge, on the southwestern slope of the Godori Mountains, in a deep trough valley, at an altitude of 2815 m above sea level. The surface area is 0.06 km², the basin area is 1.38 km², the maximum depth is 2.8 m. The water volume is 0.12 million m³. The depths increase rapidly near the shore, and then gradually increase and reach a maximum in the southern half. The depths in the lake are almost evenly distributed. The steepness of the slopes of the lake basin is noteworthy. It is fed by snow, rain and groundwater. Its level is high in summer, low in winter. The water is weakly mineralized. The clean and transparent water of the lake is bluish-blue. It is poor in living organisms.

Javakheti National Park

Javakheti National Park– the National Park in Samtskhe-Javakheti, contains the territories of Akhalkalaki and the municipality of Ninotsminda. The area of the park is 14,200 hectares. There are many lakes on the plateau of Javakheti, among them is the biggest table-land in the whole of Georgia –  Lake Paravani. The highest point of Javakheti is the mountain of Didi Abuli (which means ” big Abuli”). It is 3, 300 meters from sea level. The highland of Javakheti is the coldest place in Georgia, where people are settled. It is characteristic for this place to be a very dry continental climate, whereas, the mean annual temperature is quite low, for, throughout the wintertime, most of the lakes are frozen for a long period.

There is a lack of forests in Javakheti, actually, it is woodless territory. The most significant natural subalpine wood, which is composed of white birch, Caucasian rowan-tree, loveliest Cotoneaster, and the bushes of sweetbrier and raspberries, can be seen at the boundary of Georgia- Turkey, on the neighborhood of Kartsakhi lake.

In Javakheti National Park, there are seven camping, riding, and cycling routes. You can observe the birds in every season of the year, from the special tower, which was established on purpose. To sum up, one can keep an eye on 140 different dwellers or vagrant birds. The lakes, themselves, are rich with various types of fish, it actually, is an ideal place for those, you adore fishing. Javakheti National Park is the only preserved territory, where you can come across the real flamingo while strolling down the forest.

Aspindza — a town in Georgia, the center of the Aspindza municipality and community. It is located in the eastern part of the Akhaltsikhe Basin, on the right bank of the Mtkvari River, at the confluence of the Oti River, at an altitude of 1090 meters above sea level, on Highway S-11, 34 km southeast of the city of Akhaltsikhe, 248 km from Tbilisi. Architectural monuments of the 10th-12th centuries have been preserved in the town.

The name came to Georgian from Persian, denoting a hotel, a rest station located on a major road. The year 888 is considered the beginning of Aspindza as a settlement.

Aspindza has a mountain-steppe climate, with cold, little-snowy winters and long, warm summers. The average temperature in January is -2.2 °C, in August 20.3 °C; The average annual temperature is 9.4 °C. The absolute minimum is -29 °C, the absolute maximum is 39 °C.

Aspindza is a balneological resort of local importance due to the thermal waters in the town. The healing factor is the sulfur-hydrogen chloride-sodium-calcium thermal (42 °C) water with a low mineralization (0.9 g/l) (flow rate 0.5 million l/day). The water is used for baths.

Machikheti Church

The Lower Machikheti Church is located in the Aspindza Municipality, on the 2nd kilometer of the Muskhi-Chobareti-Zveli road, a few meters below the road, on the right side.

The Machikheti Church was built of smoothed squares in the middle of the century. The church has a single nave. It has a later nave on the south. The church was partially destroyed, but has been restored. It is roofed with tiles. The original building stones were used in the church’s facade, some of which are inscribed. The church’s roof arch is made of bricks. The main space of the church is lit by one window, which is cut into the western and eastern walls. One window is cut into the eastern wall of the nave. The entrance door to the church is from the southern nave. The floor is paved with stone tiles.

Church of St. John the Baptist of Tsunda

The Church of St. John the Baptist of Tsunda is located in Samtskhe-Javakheti, Aspindza Municipality, in the territory of the Tsundi town, in the present-day village of Nakalakevi.

The church is built on a rock surrounded by terraces, which are raised by a stone pile. The lower part of the pile is made of roughly hewn stone. The northern part of the specially arranged terrace is entirely occupied by the church, the southern part of the terrace is a fenced open platform. Later, a gate was built on this side of the temple, to which small storage rooms were added from the east and west. The church, gate and other small storage rooms were not built at the same time.

The facades of the temple are made of clean hewn stone. The principle of facade decoration is typical for the turn of the 12th-13th centuries. The decoration is mainly concentrated around the door and windows (the southern door is without a lintel and decoration, it was probably assumed that the gate was built here from the very beginning).

The entrance to the temple is from the west, and the western facade is the first thing that catches the eye. On the high, well-proportioned facade, the door is covered with a green sandstone architrave, which has preserved the construction inscription of the temple. The door and the architrave are surrounded by a plain frame with intervals, in which square capitals decorated with crosses and roses are inserted. On top of the architrave is a small cross with bunches of grapes. The window lintel above the door is held by a double braided shaft and square tiles inserted in the corners, previously decorated with a chain of interlocking circles and rhombuses. Small arched decorative crosses are carved at the edges to fill the empty space on the facade.

Chachkari Cave — an architectural monument in the village of Chachkari, Aspindza Municipality. Built in the 10th-15th centuries.

There are several caves at the foot of the plateau. The last elongated cave has a stone wall built from the front towards the village. On the inner wall of the eastern side of the same cave, an elongated groove is carved into the rock. There are two more caves to the east next to it. The structures carved into the Chachkari rock are currently dated in the scientific literature to the 11th-12th-13th centuries.

Beriskhevi

A 3th-century rock-cut dwelling in Aspindza municipality, 1.5 km from Vardzia Monastery, on the left bank of the Mtkvari River, at an altitude of approximately 20 m. A sloping tunnel was used for access. The Beriskhevi complex consists of a hall church located on the edge of a ravine, a carved cell, a pantry, a storage room and a fortified defensive post.

Tmogvi Castle

Tmogvi castle is located in Samtske-Javakhet, in Aspindza municipality near the village Tmogvi at the left bank of the river Mtkvari.

Tmogvi Fortress first is mentioned in historic origins in X century, it was controlling a road from Asia to Georgia through Mtkvari valley. Arabs tried to sack it in the X century but failed. At the end of X century and beginning of XI, Tmogvi fortress was under Monarchy rule. Since 1073, nobleman Niania Kuabulisdze and his heirs owned it, in the future centuries, it was under different feudal family’s rule – Torels, Mkhargrdzelis, Shalikashvilis and Jakels. Ottomans conquered Tmogvi fortress in 1578, later the fortress and its territories were under Ottoman political-administrative unit jurisdiction – Akhalkalaki Liva. After the Russian-Ottoman war in 1828-1829, according to the treaty of Adrianople (1829) Ottomans, together with other territories, forfeited Tmogvi fortress.

Tmogvi fortress is built on a tall, rocky mountain. Due to landscape differences, its walls stand on different heights. The western side of the fortress is better preserved, here on an incline there are three steps of fortifications. Southeastern walls are leaning on a cave, in which there is a secret tunnel connected to Citadel on the upper side and river Mtkvari on the lower side. The small area in the middle of the fortress is fully occupied by buildings. Two distinct building layers are noticeable, the earlier layer is built by smoothed tufa squares aligned in even rows. Roughly processed stone walls belong to the later renovation age. Outside the fortress walls, in the western gully we can see St. Ephrem church, carved in a rock, with iconostasis also carved in a rock. In the ruins of the second, domed church XIII century mural painting fragments remain.

Zeda Tmogvi church— a monument of Georgian architecture of the 11th century, a three-nave basilica. North of the Vardzia and Tmogvi fortresses, on a high mountain plateau. On November 7, 2006, the church was awarded the category of an immovable cultural monument of national importance by the decree of the President of Georgia.

It is built of well-polished gray stone, roofed with louvres. The high and wide central nave is separated from the Gevrid naves by three arches resting on two pairs of pillars. On the south facade there is an entrance decorated with carvings and inscriptions set in a rectangular frame. The southern wall of a small hall church of the 8th–9th centuries with an entrance door is incorporated into the northern wall of the basilica. One of the inscriptions on the basilica indicates that it was built by Eristavt-Eristavi (duke) – Parsman, son of Iovane Chimchimeli, during the reign of Bagrat IV (1027–1072). The monument shows signs of several restorations and alterations.

The Church of the Archangels of Saro is a Georgian Orthodox church in the village of Saro, Aspindza Municipality, Samtskhe-Javakheti Region. It dates back to the 7th-8th centuries.

The church is a hall-shaped church, built of gray volcanic stone. The corners of the building, the lintels of the openings, and the surviving window lintels are made of neatly polished tuff. The church is whitewashed from the outside with lime mortar, the interior is covered with quite thick plaster. Despite this, a later, probably 19th-century restoration or reconstruction is clearly visible.

Saro Fortress — a complex of fortifications in the village of Saro, Aspindza Municipality, Georgia. In Javakheti, as well as throughout the Southern Caucasus, fortified settlements must have been a widespread type of settlement at that time (at least the 2nd millennium BC, if not earlier). D. Berdzenishvili considers the Saro settlement, along with the ancient settlements of Abuli and Shaori, to be such a fortified point.

Archaeological material found in the vicinity of the village of Saro clearly demonstrates the fact that the village and its surroundings must have been actively involved in the cultural and economic relations that took place in Samtskhe-Javakheti from the middle of the 2nd millennium BC, including the Hellenistic and feudal periods.

The fact that the village of Saro and its surroundings were one of the most important political and economic centers from the earliest times is evidenced, among other things, by the complex of fortresses preserved on its territory, which is very original in its layout. It can be safely said that each fortress included in this complex was a complex, independent fortified object.

Some researchers consider the fortresses of Saro to be one fortress. In their opinion, the fortress of Saro consists of three parts:

“Subdistrict Fortress”, which is located at the western end of the village (subdistrict); “Upper Fortress”, or the Sakdri Fortress, which is located near the Archangel Church; “New Fortress”, or the tower to the northwest of the Sakdri Fortress. Each of these fortresses can be considered an independent complex with its own layout and construction.

The monuments of historical significance in the vicinity of the village of Saro (burial grounds, fortresses, remains of ancient dwellings, cult shrines, etc.) are evidence that during the early Bronze Age (15th-14th centuries BC) and the Hellenistic period (4th-3rd centuries BC), there was intensive life in historical Javakheti, in particular, on the lower plateau of the Javakheti plateau (the Saro-Khizabavri area). We can say that life here has not died out at least since the 3rd millennium BC to the present day.

Vani Caves Complex

Vani (Vahani) caves complex is located in Samtskhe Javakheti, in Aspindza municipality at the right bank of the river Mrkvari. This ancient complex of caves is dated no later than the VIII century. During the IX-XI centuries caves were expanded. In the central part St. George church and a new group of shacks were carved. As a result of the earthquake in 1089, the central part of the Vani caves, including the church, collapsed. As a result of the earthquake in 1283, Vani caves collapsed again. During XIV-XVI centuries, monastery life was renovated again. In 1551 by Persians and in 1576 by Ottomans, it was taken and sacked again, which resulted in deserting the complex. 

There are little less than 200 caves in the Vani complex, which is arranged on 16 stories. The monastery complex includes abodes, caves and agricultural storages, “eukterion” burial grounds, crypt, shelter, tunnels and 6 churches, all carved in the rock. There are three remaining water channels and the remnant of the reservoir, also important historic inscriptions and fragments of paintings. The center of the complex is the St. George dome-like church with mortar gates and a two-storied “Eukterion” burial.

Under the gate, the crypt is located. Ornamentally carved iconostasis details were also found here, together with ornamental stones fused with the main gate. North of the gate, on the same terrace, a dome-shaped mortar church is located. As a result of archaeological excavations – wine cellar with 8 wine jars was discovered, a tough glaze ceramic pottery workshop, agricultural building with small water canal and winepress, carved in rock, two houses built in stone, etc. outside the mortar barrier, on the terrace, oval tower appears, which served as a part of defensive building and overlooked approaches to the barrier.

“So that the enemy would not learn of the whereabouts of Queen Tamar, by Tamar’s order, three hundred and sixty-five rooms were carved out in Vardzia, as many rooms as there are days in a year; one room was carved out every day, and the construction was completed in one year.”

Three moments are noteworthy in the stories about Vardzia: the connection of the foundation of the monastery with the name of King Giorgi III and, especially, Queen Tamar; the change of the place of construction of Vardzia and the existence of old caves here before the foundation of the monastery.

The monastery complex was mainly built in the years 1156-1203. The settlement was consecrated on August 15, 1185, during the reign of Queen Tamar (1184-1213). The royal monastery played a major role in the political and cultural life of the country.

During the Mongol rule (second half of the 13th century), the monks of Vardzia actively fought to preserve their faith and national culture. In 1551, the monastery was raided and destroyed by the Persian army. The famous icon of the Mother of God of Vardzia, the gold and steel doors, and many other cultural treasures were taken away by the enemy. In 1578, when the region was conquered by the Ottomans, the monastery was finally abandoned. After the Russo-Ottoman War (1828-1829), Vardzia was again part of Georgia.

After the establishment of Soviet power in the region, scientific study of this monastery complex began. In 1938, it was declared a museum-reserve. In 1970-1971, archaeological excavations were carried out in Vardzia, and 3 cultural layers were discovered: the Early Middle Ages, the 12th century, and the 13th-14th centuries.

The architecture of Vardzia is based on a pre-developed compositional idea – a multi-story carved ensemble is located around a center – a temple, embedded in the depths of a rock crevice. The caves of Vardzia are longitudinally spread from west to east, with a front of 500 m. The caves are arranged in tiers. In separate sections, five, six, and seven tiers are found. In the eastern part, 13 tiers of caves are confirmed. In a unified system, there are 19 tiers. In the extreme western part, there is a “rock village” with a church – Ananauri.

There are currently 641 rock-cut churches in Vardzia.

15 rock-cut churches have survived in Vardzia. Vardzia is not distinguished by its luxurious decoration, the only jewel is the wall painting of the chapels. In this regard, the painting of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary Cathedral and the gate (1184-1186) is important, where, along with scenes depicting the life of Christ, portraits of King George III and Tamar are depicted, as well as the Eristavi of Kartli, Rati Surameli. It is noteworthy that among the portraits of Queen Tamar that have come down to us, the Vardzia one is the earliest. Here she is wearing a crown, but without the headscarf of a married woman, and she is holding a building in her hand, which means that she began the construction and care of the Vardzia monastery before her marriage.

Upper Vardzia church — a monument of Georgian architecture of the first half of the 11th century, the Church of the Virgin Mary in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region, in the Aspindza municipality, 3 km northwest of Vardzia. It is erected on a mountain slope, on an artificially created platform. On November 7, 2006, according to the decree of the President of Georgia, it was awarded the category of an immovable cultural monument of national significance

It belongs to the type of two-nave churches. It has an open stoa on the south. The western nave is of a later period. It is built of well-polished reddish-purple tufa blocks. The inside is lined with large cut stones. The main nave, ending in a deep apse, is high and wide, while the northern one is low and narrow. They are connected to each other by arches resting on two piers. The church was plastered, traces of painting are visible. Both naves are covered with a single, two-tone roof. The church is richly decorated with carvings on the outside. There is a stylized Asomtavruli inscription above the entrance.

Akhaltsikhe Municipality is located in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region. Traces of human life in the region date back to ancient times, as evidenced by the Stone Age tools discovered during archaeological excavations. Settlements and tombs from the 3rd millennium BC have also been discovered here. Akhaltsikhe had great political and cultural importance in the Middle Ages, which was also due to its strategic location. According to researchers, Akhaltsikhe was formerly called Lomsia. The center of the municipality, the city of Akhaltsikhe (then Lomsia), was destroyed during the wars of the 11th century. In the 12th century, the Samtskhe Atabags – the Jakelis – rebuilt the city and named this place Akhaltsikhe. Akhaltsikhe has been mentioned in historical sources since the 12th century. It became a separate district in 1930.
The municipality is located in the Akhaltsikhe Basin, occupying the Mtkvari and Potskhovi valleys. Its administrative center is the city of Akhaltsikhe. The municipality is bordered by Borjomi and Kharagauli to the north, Aspindza to the east, Adigeni to the west, and the Republic of Turkey to the south. The region is characterized by a complex relief, with steep terraces, valleys, small basins, hills and volcanic mountains, which range from 950 to 2964 meters.
Akhaltsikhe Municipality is distinguished by its natural beauty and abundance of cultural and historical monuments. Forests, mountains, rocks and beautiful views create a wonderful environment for travelers and nature lovers.

Rabbath Castle  

Rabati Castle is a historical castle in the administrative center of Samtskhe-Javakheti region, in the city of Akhaltsikhe, in the historical district of Rabati. It is located on the banks of the Potskhovi River. The Rabati castle complex is currently being rehabilitated, it consists of buildings from various periods of the Middle Ages. The castle complex was the most important defensive structure of the region, its walls remember many heavy battles. For centuries, it was the residence of the owners of Akhaltsikhe. The fortress was surrounded by three walls and was connected to the surrounding area by an underground tunnel.
The history of the fortress begins in the 9th century. In the 12th–13th centuries, the fortress became the residence of the Jakelis, it was restored and expanded. It is from this time that the toponym “Akhaltsikhe” appears.

As a result of the restoration carried out in 2011-2012, the fortress complex was renovated with a rampart, a citadel, an Orthodox church of the 9th-10th centuries, a mosque named after Haji Ahmed-Pasha Jakeli, a madrasah, and the Jakeli Palace, where the exhibition hall of the Samtskhe-Javakheti History Museum is located.


Samtskhe-Javakheti Historical Museum

The Ivane Javakhishvili Samtskhe-Javakheti Historical Museum is located in the city of Akhaltsikhe, Georgia. The Samtskhe-Javakheti Historical Museum was founded in Akhaltsikhe in 1923, on the basis of which the Museum of Local Lore was opened in 1937. In 1972, the museum was named after Ivane Javakhishvili. It is of historical classification. The museum collects a significant part of the cultural heritage of the region: ancient manuscripts, epigraphic, archaeological, numismatic, ethnographic materials and photo-documents. Currently, more than 25 thousand exhibits are preserved in the museum’s funds, including a fund of manuscripts and old printed books. A special place is occupied by Georgian lapidary specimens and carpet-rug exhibitions. State control is exercised by the Ministry of Culture, Monument Protection and Sports of Georgia.

Agara Monastery 

Situated atop a mountain in the Uraveli River Valley in the region of Samtskhe-Javakheti. Agara Monastery is surrounded on three sides by deciduous forest, with the fourth side guarded by a steep cliff overlooking the river.

The monastery was founded in the 10th century, springing up around a church from the 6th-7th centuries.

The main church of Agara Monastery is one of the largest and best-preserved single-naved churches in Georgia, dating back to the 10th-11th century.

Ancient paintings can still be seen in places on the walls, and a beautifully ornamented window remains over the main entrance door.

In addition, there are four churches from the 5th-14th centuries preserved in the monastery complex, with a bell-tower, a refectory, a cellar, and outbuildings. 

 Today, the complex is in ruins, but the dining area from the 11th-12th centuries is still preserved, as well as a bell tower from the 13th-14th centuries.

Abastumani – a town in Adigeni Municipality, Samtskhe-Javakheti Region, Georgia. It is located on the southern slope of the Meskheti Range, in the Otskhe River Gorge. It is 25 kilometers from Adigeni and 28 kilometers from Akhaltsikhe. There are spa sanatoriums, the Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory, cultural, educational and healthcare facilities in Abastumani.

In the 9th-10th centuries, it was referred to as “Odzrkhe”. In the late Middle Ages, “Otskhe” was established, and from the 19th century – “Abastumani”. The current name may come from the family name of the Abazasdzes. Abastumani is a mountain-climatic resort (1340 m above sea level). In the 70s of the 19th century, the foundation for the construction of the resort was laid. The status of a town was granted in 1926.

Abastumani cable car – Built to ferry astronomers and staff up to the observatory, the line connects the resort town with the summit of Mount Kanobili. Its bright yellow gondolas, manufactured by the Tbilisi Aviation Factory, are identical in design to the red cabins in Khulo and the blue ones at Tbilisi’s Turtle Lake – classic oval-shaped gondolas that became a Soviet standard. The modernist lower station, half-hidden in the forest of the Dendrological Park, is a striking piece of architecture in its own right. From here, the ropeway once whisked passengers silently through the pine trees before emerging at the observatory gates. Today, the cable car remains operational, but access is restricted to observatory staff. If you’re lucky, you might spot one of the yellow cabins suspended mid-line.

Glasenapp Tower, also known as “Giorgiseuli” — an immovable monument of the cultural heritage of Georgia; a mountain astronomical tower, built in the 1890s on the initiative of the Russian Tsar, George Alexander II, and astronomer Sergei Glazenap on the territory of Abastumani . A small telescope was located on the tower (the predecessor of the Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory). It is built on the rocky slope of Mount Kanobili. It is a stone tower of circular shape in plan, on which stands a wooden apical cylinder covered with a tin roof. The base of the building is built of hewn and processed squares. The tower rotates around its axis, which is achieved by means of iron rollers fixed between the stone base and the wooden cylinder.

Abastumani Alexander Nevsky Church, New Zarzma — an architectural monument in the town of Abastumani, Adigeni Municipality. Built in 1896-1898.The church complex (domed church, bell tower, fence) is a multifaceted interesting architectural ensemble, which is very noteworthy from an artistic-historical and urban point of view. It was built by order of Prince George, the son of Russian Emperor Alexander III, the younger brother of the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II. The prototype of the building is the main church of the Zarzma Monastery in Samtskhe (beginning of the 14th century) and the bell tower, which is why the Abastumani Church is also called “New Zarzma”. The author of the project is the European architect Otto Simonson, who worked in Tbilisi. The church’s paintings are by the Russian artist Mikhail Nesterov. The inscription on the marble plaque on the western wall of the church interior tells us that the foundation stone for the construction was laid on June 27, 1896, and the church was consecrated on September 13, 1898. On the same wall is M. Nesterov’s signature and the date of completion of the church’s paintings – 1904.

Abastumani Sulphur baths – an architectural monument in the town of Abastumani, Adigeni Municipality. The construction period of the bathhouse building is assumed to be the 1880s. The construction of the bathhouse required the creation of a network of underground canals. A large water reservoir was built near the Otskhe River away from the bathhouse, and a so-called refrigerator was built underground with stone canals, connected to the reservoir on one side and the bathhouse building on the other. The canals were dug, and a stone-paved brick bridge was built across the narrow riverbed, where the river formed a waterfall, which still bears the name of Remerti and overlooks the park of the same name. The refrigerator is a small stone structure half-buried in the ground, where a system of underground channels from a sulfuric water collection facility near the river converge, from which water is distributed to the main bathhouse building.

Romanov Palace in Abastumani

Built in 1893 for Grand Duke George Alexandrovich Romanov, the Romanov complex in Abastumani originally comprised two residences: a summer palace, and a winter palace. Designed by Tbilisi-based architect Otto Jacob Simons, the single-storey summer house was constructed entirely from wood – thought to be beneficial for the lungs – and distinguished by its ornate fenestration and verandahs. The sturdier winter palace was made of stone.

After George’s untimely death, the complex was largely abandoned (though it’s said that the summer house became a favourite haunt of the Soviet elite). In the 1990s, the grounds were converted into a convent, and the Sisters of St. Panteleimon took up residence. A few years later, one of the buildings was badly damaged by fire.

surviving Romanov Palace – which has been completely restored – serves as accommodation for the sisters. The complex also contains a newly built chapel and an older church that houses icons brought here from Sapara Monastery near Akhaltsikhe. At present, the site is closed to visitors 

Zarzma Monastery

A monument of Georgian architecture in the village of Zarzma, Adigeni Municipality, Samtskhe-Javakheti Region. On November 7, 2006, according to the decree of the President of Georgia, it was awarded the category of an immovable cultural monument of national importance. The domed church, bell tower and several single-nave chapels (some are ruined) have survived. A little further away from them is a spring known from ancient times. Other monastic buildings (monks’ cells, refectory, etc.) have not been preserved. There are different opinions about the time of the monastery’s foundation (VIII century, IX century). It was originally founded by the early feudal cleric Serapion Zarzmeli. The church from Serapion’s time has not survived to this day.

The current church and bell tower of Zarzma were built in the first years of the 14th century during the reign of Beka I Mandaturtukhutses, the ruler of Samtskhe. The oldest historical relic is an inscription from the last decades of the 10th century, inserted into the arch of the entrance to one of the chapels, which was taken from an earlier building and tells the story of the campaigns of the Great Curate David III against Barda Skliaros. he church of Zarzma is a very important monument, in which some new signs characteristic of the Georgian architecture of that time are clearly visible. The wall paintings are also important, where, along with traditional stories, portraits of the owners of Samtskhe (Sargis, Beka Mandaturtukhutses, Sargis II, Kuarkuare), as well as portraits of historical figures of the 16th century (King Bagrat III of Imereti, Serapion Khurtsidze, etc.) have been preserved. The bell tower of the Zarzma Monastery is one of the largest in Georgia and is one of the best examples of this type of Georgian buildings. In the 18th–19th centuries, the abandoned temple, surrounded by a Muslim population, gradually deteriorated. All the property of Zarzma — icons, crosses, other church items, and above all the most important shrine — the Zarzma Transfiguration Icon — was taken to Guria and placed in a specially built new church in the village of Shemokmedi, which was also named Zarzma (currently, all the surviving treasures of Zarzma are kept in the Sh. Amiranashvili Art Museum in Tbilisi).

In the village of Zarzma, there is another Tamar-related place – “Tamar’s Springs”. The water flows from a small, hand-built wall. Why it is called “Tamars Springs” the villagers cannot say, although they know for sure that it is named after Tamar.“Tamar’s Spring” – 14th century –  is just 50 meters from the Zarzma Monastery.

Chule Monastery or Chulevi Monastery

Is a 14th-century domed church of St. George. It is located in the historical Samtskhe, Patara Zanavi, Adigeni Municipality, on the left bank of the Kvabliani River.

The construction of the Chule Monastery dates back to 1381. Scientists believe that the word “Chule” in ancient Georgian meant “a fallen, hidden place.” From the Odin complex, only the domed church of St. George, built of well-polished stone of gray-pink tones, has survived to this day.

The current monastery dates back to the 14th century, but a shrine of St. George existed here before that. In the second half of the 11th century, Stephen Chuleveli was known among the scribes of the Black Mountain of Syria. This epithet indicates the birthplace of Stephen the First Martyr.

After the Ottomans took over Meskheti, monastic activity gradually died out in Chule and by 1595 it was completely deserted.

Today, monastic life has been revived in Chulevi.

Okros Tsikhe (Golden Fortress)

The fortress in Samtskhe-Javakheti region, Adigeni municipality, near the village Boladjuri, 170 m above sea level. The castle is located on a huge rocky massif and is difficult to reach (even inaccessible from some sides). It is one of the greatest Georgian fortresses.

The Golden Fortress was one of the main strongholds of the Jaqeli family, and it, along with other fortresses, formed the whole system of defensive fortifications in the midst of the Atabeg domain. The exact date of construction of the castle is unknown. It was probably built at the end of the XIII century, or in the beginning of the XIV century, and there is not any early written information about it. In the XV-XVI centuries, during the Turkish occupation, It played a major role in the defense of the Meskhetians.