Uplistsikhe Cave Town

The ancient and now abandoned rock-hewn town of Uplistsikhe is located in Eastern Georgia and is a must to any trip to Georgia. Uplistsikhe is on the UNESCO list and means “the fortress of the Lord”.

Uplistsikhe does slightly reminds Cappadocia (Turkey) and Northern Iran. The Cave Town-Fortress is situated on a rocky massif 10 km from Gori and has stunning views over Mtkvari Valley.

Uplistsikhe-  the Ancient cave town in Georgia

The Uplistsikhe site dates back to as early as the second millennium BC, witnessing key events and playing an important role in Georgian history.  Being for centuries one of the most important political and religious centres of pre-Christianity.

When Christianity arrived in the country the city lost importance for Mtskheta and TbilisiIn the 13th century, during the Mongol conquest, Uplistsikhe faced a rapid decline and large parts of the city were destroyed. 

The Uplistsikhe complex

The complex is divided into 3 main parts all connected by tunnels. Some of those tunnels also had the purpose of an emergency escape route. The Lower, central and upper area.

There are numerous temples related to the sun goddess. Most of the rock-cut structures, don’t show any decorative elements, aside from some of the larger structures.

The area has a Christian stone basilica from the 10th century and also pagan places of sacrifice, dwellings, a pharmacy, a bakery, a prison, a theatre and even an amphitheatre.

The views from the cliff over the village and the Mtkvari river are spectacular.

How to get to Uplistsikhe

You can either travel by train or marshrutka from Tbilisi to Gori (1.5 hours). When in Gori you have 3 options.

Go on a bike trip, take a taxi (just remember to negotiate the rate), or by bus from Gori. The only problem is that the bused are not frequent and you have to walk around 1 km from the village to the cave town. 

photography – all rights reserved – Ana Rocha

Gori Travel

Gori is a small town on the confluence of the Kura and the Liakhi in the picturesque Kartlia valley, 80km west of Tbilisi.

A day trip to Gori from Tbilisi is easy and cheap but is better to stay overnight to visit the ancient cave city of Uplistsikhe that is located about 10 km from Gori.

Gori is a quiet town where you can wander through the streets and have a great chillout time eating out at one of the many restaurant terraces. 

Top sights
Stalin Museum

The town is best known for being the birthplace of Stalin the former Soviet leader. While he is not exactly a hero by any means, the town preserves memories of his life and displays them in the Stalin Museum.

The town has two other smaller museums. The War Museum and the Ethnographic Museum.

Goristsikhe fortress

The Fortress is free and offers some nice views the town and surrounding hills, especially during sunset. This oval citadel stands at the heart of Gori on top of a hill.

Churches

There are a few churches to be found around Gori. Mary’s Church is quite impressive.

Stalin Avenue

The main street is called Stalin Avenue. I don’t know how I feel about Gory having so many tributes to Stalin.. but … I believe (and hope) they don’t see him as a national hero but a local famous historic figure.

At the top end of the avenue you have the Stalin museum and the gardens. There is some impressive architecture along the street including the city hall.

How to get to Gori from Tbilisi

From Tbilisi, you can either take a train from the main station or a marshrutka (minibus).

To go bt marshrutka head to Didube bus station and look around for a van labelled ‘Gori’, they leave when full usually every 20-30mins. The journey takes around 1.5 hours.

All trains from Tbilisi going to Kutaisi and/or Batumi stop at Gori. 

How to Get from Gori to Uplistsikhe

At the bus station, you can find a minivan heading to Uplistsikhe. The journey takes around 25 minutes.

photography – all rights reserved – Ana Rocha