Mariam Rusishvili

Vardzia Cave Monastery

Where: Vardzia, Lesser Caucasus Mountains, Southern Georgia, Central AsiaWhen:12thcenturyHistory: A military fortress turned site of religious significance hewn into the mountain’s rocksGo there for: A guided tour by monks of the cave-like rooms – women not always welcomed

History of Vardzia

Vardzia was built after 10,000 Turkish troops marched into Georgia but were defeated by a bold Georgian army of just 2,000 men. There are only 750 rooms left now after an earthquake but in its heyday it housed 50,000 people. The rooms include monk cells, a grand foyer, a treasury, cathedral, libraries, stables, bakeries, and bathing pools. Each dwelling consisted of three rooms, although it is said that Queen Tamar, Georgia’s first female sovereign, who completed the city after her uncle’s death, had 366 rooms so that if Vardzia were to be invaded by the Persians she would be able to lose the enemy in her quarters.

This cave monastery was built during the “Golden Age” of feudal Georgia. Built between 1184 and 1186, it is a unique example of cave architecture. It is thought to have been of great cultural significance, having been built during the time of Rustaveli. At this time, Georgian art, science, and literature flourished.

Originally built as a military base by Giorgi III, it was Queen Tamar who was responsible for the change in function to a more religious site. The legend has it that when the workmen finished where they had started removing the rock, at the end of each day their tools would mysteriously have been moved to another location. After this happened a number of times it was considered to be divine intervention and the new location became the chosen place. It therefore had religious significance form the start. It is also thought that the city’s name derived from something Queen Tamar said. Tamar got lost in the caves when she was young and out riding with her uncle Giorgi. He called ‘where are you?’ she replied, ‘ak var dzia,’ meaning ‘here I am’.

Visiting Vardzia Today

There are still a few monks living in Vardzia who act as guides but they do not speak English, they will merely prevent you from getting lost. An entrance fee of six lari ($3.50) is payable but the monks also expect a tip. Also be warned that there is sill a debacle going on between the church and the government. The monks and the church do not consider women welcome at Vardzia, which seems strange as it was the first female tsarina, loved by her people, who founded the city and lived there for many years.

Site

The greater Vardzia area includes also the early eleventh-century church at Zeda Vardzia and the tenth- to twelfth-century rock village and cave churches of Ananauri. The main lower site was carved from the cliff's central stratum of tufaceous breccia at an elevation of thirteen hundred metres above sea level. It is divided into an eastern and a western part by the Church of the Dormition. In the eastern part of the complex are seventy-nine separate cave dwellings, in eight tiers and with a total of 242 rooms, including six chapels, "Tamar's Room", a meeting room, reception chamber, pharmacy, and twenty-five wine cellars; 185 wine jars sunk into the floor document the importance of viticulture to the monastic economy. In the western part, between the bell tower and the main church, are a further forty houses, in thirteen tiers and with a total of 165 rooms, including six chapels,

a refectory with a bakery, other ovens for baking bread, and a forge. Beyond the bell tower the complex rises to nineteen tiers, with steps leading to a cemetery. Infrastructure includes access tunnels, water facilities, and provision for defence.

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Information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vardzia http://www.pilotguides.com/articles/the-medieval-cave-city-of-vardzia-georgia/

Nino Menteshashvili

Botanical Gardens

Don’t miss the chance to visit a very beautiful place called Botanical Gardens. It is located in Tbilisi, capital of Georgia, and lies in the Tsavkisis-Tskali Gorge on the southern foothills of the Sololaki Range (a spur of the Trialeti Range). It occupies the area of 161 hectares.Its history spans more than three centuries. It was first described, in 1671, by the French traveler Jean Chardin as royal gardens which might have been founded at least in 1625 and were variably referred to as "fortress gardens" or "Seidabad gardens" later in history. The gardens appear in the records by Joseph Pitton de Tournefort (1701) and on the Tbilisi map composed by Prince Vakhushti (1735). Pillaged in the Persian invasion of 1795, the garden was revived in the early 19th century and officially established as the Tiflis Botanical Garden in 1845.At present the garden collections include over 4,500 species and infraspecific taxa of the flora of the Caucasus and other regions of the world. Apart from the above, the garden supports rich collections of ornamental cultivars.

Narikala Fortress Narikala is an ancient fortress overlooking Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, and the Kura River. The fortress consists of two walled sections on a steep hill between the sulphur baths and the botanical gardens of Tbilisi. On the lower court there is the recently restored St Nicholas church. Newly built in 1996–1997, it replaces the original 13th-century church that was destroyed in a fire. The new church is of "prescribed cross" type, having doors on three sides. The internal part of the church is decorated with the frescos showing scenes both from the Bible and history of Georgia. The fortress was established in the 4th century as Shuris-tsikhe. It was considerably expanded by the Umayyads in the 7th century and later, by king David the Builder (1089–1125). The Mongols renamed it "Narin Qala" (i.e., "Little Fortress"). Most of extant fortifications date from the 16th and 17th centuries. In 1827, parts of the fortress were damaged by an earthquake and demolished.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Botanical_Garden_of_Georgiahttps://www.google.ge/search?espv=2&biw=1366&bih=667&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=plants+in+tbilisi+botanical+garden%5C&oq=plants+in+tbilisi+botanical+garden%5C&gs_l=img.3...93823.105508.0.105541.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0....0...1c.1.64.img..0.0.0._DOzCF-GWBQ#imgdii=2w9B-RNtwJlIAM%3A%3B2w9B-RNtwJlIAM%3A%3BcTCwn0mlGqyTpM%3A&imgrc=2w9B-RNtwJlIAM%3Ahttps://www.google.ge/search?espv=2&biw=1366&bih=667&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=plants+in+tbilisi+botanical+garden%5C&oq=plants+in+tbilisi+botanical+garden%5C&gs_l=img.3...93823.105508.0.105541.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0....0...1c.1.64.img..0.0.0._DOzCF-GWBQ#imgrc=dPZAQmZCwPGTBM%3Ahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narikalahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narikala#/media/File:Tbilisi_at_Night.jpghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narikala#/media/File:Narikala_fortress,_Tbilisi,_Georgia.jpg

Mariam Bujirishvili

Svaneti

Svaneti or Svanetia is a historic province in Georgia, in the northwestern part of the country. It is inhabited by the Svans, an ethnic subgroup of Georgians.

The landscape of Svaneti is dominated by mountains that are separated by deep gorges. Most of the region which lies below 1,800 meters (5,904 ft) above sea level is covered by mixed and coniferous forests. The forest zone is made up of tree species such as spruce, fir, beech, oak, and hornbeam. Other species that are less common but may still be found in some areas include chestnut, birch, maple, pine and box. The zone which extends from 1,800 meters to roughly about 3,000 meters (5,904–9,840 ft) above sea level consists of alpine meadows and grasslands. Eternal snows and glaciers take over in areas that are over 3,000 meters above sea level. The region is notable for its glaciers and picturesque summits. Svaneti's signature peak is probably Mount Ushba which towers over the Inguri Gorge and can be seen from many parts of the region.

The Svans are usually identified with the Soanes mentioned by Greek geographer Strabo, who placed them more or less in the area still occupied by the modern-day Svans. The province had been a dependency of Colchis, and of its successor kingdom of Lazica (Egrisi) until AD 552, when the Svans took advantage of the Lazic War, repudiated this connection and went over to the Persians. The Byzantines wanted the region, for if they secured its passes, they could prevent Persian raids on the border areas of Lazica. With the end of the war (562), Svanetia again became part of Lazica. Then, the province joined the Kingdom of Abkhazia to form a unified monarchy which was incorporated into the Kingdom of Georgia in the early 11th century. Svanetia became a duchy (saeristavo) within it, governed by a duke (eristavi). The province’s Orthodox culture flourished particularly during the Georgian “golden age” under Queen Tamar (r. 1184-1213), who was respected almost as goddess by the Svanetians. The legend has it that the duchy was annually visited by Tamar. The Svans had been known as fierce warriors for centuries. Their inflatable war banner was named Lemi (Lion) because of its shape.

Svanetia is known for their architectural treasures and picturesque landscapes. The botany of Svanetia is legendary among travelers.[citation needed] The famous Svanetian towers erected mainly in the 9th-12th centuries, make the region’s villages more attractive. In the province are dozens of Georgian orthodox churches and various fortified buildings. Architectural monuments of Upper Svanetia are included in a list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Svan culture survives most wonderfully in its songs and dances. Svanetia boasts arguably the most archaic three-part polyphonic singing. Most of their

songs are connected to round dances, are performed very loud and are full of dissonant chords.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svaneti

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