Vardzia
A cave monastery cut into the cliffs of Erusheti mountain above the Kura, mostly in the second half of the 12th century under Queen Tamar. The caves run for some 500 metres along the rock face in up to nineteen tiers, with a frescoed church at their heart.
- Where
- Aspindza, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Georgia
- Grade
- Well known
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site, plus 1 for its grade
- Coordinates
- 41.3808, 43.2838
Get the Vardzia stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Vardzia. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your Samtskhe-Javakheti volume with your photos and a note.
Near Vardzia
Khertvisi Fortress 11 km
One of the oldest fortresses in Georgia, on a rocky spur where the Paravani river meets the Kura. Its church dates from 985 and its walls from 1354, and a local legend says Alexander the Great once destroyed it.
Sapara Monastery 32 km
A Georgian Orthodox monastery on a wooded mountainside a few kilometres from Akhaltsikhe. Its stone churches look out over the valley and are reached by a winding road up through the forest.
Rabati Castle 39 km
A fortress first built in the 9th century as Lomsia Castle, in the town of Akhaltsikhe, and heavily reconstructed in recent years. Within its walls are a church, a mosque with a gilded dome, towers and a museum, and it is the region's main sight after Vardzia.
Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park 55 km
A large protected area in the Lesser Caucasus of central Georgia, spreading across parts of six municipalities. Its mixed Caucasian forests and long marked trails start from near Borjomi, the spa town known for its mineral water.
Zarzma Monastery 62 km
The medieval Monastery of the Transfiguration in the village of Zarzma, in the forested valleys of southwest Georgia. Its church and tall bell tower stand on a slope above the river.
Dmanisi 77 km
A small town in the Mashavera river valley, about 93 km southwest of Tbilisi. It gives its name to the archaeological site nearby, where some of the oldest human fossils found outside Africa, about 1.8 million years old, were dug up.
Ateni Sioni Church 89 km
An early 7th century church of four rounded lobes in the village of Ateni, about 10 km south of Gori, in the Tana valley known for its wine. Its frescoes are among the finest examples of Georgian painting, and its name comes from Mount Zion in Jerusalem.
Gori Fortress 96 km
A medieval citadel on a rocky hill rising straight out of the centre of Gori. Its stone walls follow the line of the hilltop and look out over the town and the wide plain of Shida Kartli toward the Caucasus.
Questions
Where is Vardzia?
Vardzia is in Aspindza, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Georgia. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Khertvisi Fortress (11 km), Sapara Monastery (32 km), Rabati Castle (39 km).
How do I get the Vardzia stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Vardzia and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your Samtskhe-Javakheti volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Vardzia before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your Samtskhe-Javakheti volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
LOQAH is free on iPhone and Android, in India and 20 more countries, with more countries on the way. Stand at a place, collect its stamp, and keep every trip in a passport that grows.