Discover Shida Kartli

Uplistsikhe is located in Shida Kartli and is one of the oldest inhabited sites in the Caucasus. Since October 24, 2007, the cave city has been on Georgia’s Tentative List for UNESCO World Heritage. For geographical context, the region’s border follows the mountain ranges of the Caucasus, Likhi, Trialeti and Kharuli, as well as the Ksani River. A regional experience can therefore focus on cultural history as much as on landscape and outdoor activities.

At Uplistsikhe, you can walk along streets and through squares and see public spaces, temples, a theater, pharmacies, wine presses and wine cellars carved into the rock. The variety of these spaces makes the site a destination for visitors who want to explore not just individual buildings, but an urban layout carved into rock.

Gori Fortress also offers its own historical perspective: it dates back to the 13th century and is an immovable cultural monument of national significance. From the fortress, views stretch across the city of Gori and the surrounding Caucasus Mountains. In Gori, the Historical and Ethnographic Museum preserves archaeological collections dating from the 4th to 3rd millennium BC onward. Its manuscripts department includes fragments of a medieval handbook from 1667, as well as works copied in 1729. The Stalin Museum has more than 40,000 exhibits in six exhibition halls.

The Kintsvisi Monastery Complex offers another perspective on art history. Its construction is associated with the reign of Queen Tamar, from 1184 to 1212. The 12th- to 13th-century Church of St. Nicholas is the complex’s central domed building. The icons of saints feature Georgian Asomtavruli script and Greek inscriptions. The artworks of Kintsvisi influenced the development of Georgian monumental and medieval art. In the Rkoni Monastery Complex, the Church of the Virgin dates to the second half of the 7th century; its frescoes are from the 12th century.

In Gori, local master Giorgi Tatulashvili continues the well-known tradition of glazed ceramics to this day. This is a living counterpart to the historical collections and monastery complexes: here, the focus is on a craft that is still practiced. Nazuki, a sweet bread with a tradition passed down over centuries, is part of the regional cuisine and is especially common in Shida Kartli.

The Dzama Valley has up to 60 historical monuments, including old and modern churches and monasteries, fortresses, towers and natural attractions. The Ateni Valley offers a different focus: remains of numerous Bronze Age settlements have been preserved there. A 2.5-kilometer hiking trail through the valley leads to the Biisi Waterfall. The stated length can help you account for this route when planning your day, without implying a walking time.

If you are looking for views across the region, consider the Abukhalo hiking trail: it leads to the summit of Bardzimjvari, from which there are far-reaching views across Kartli. The waterfall trail and the summit hike are different ways to add outdoor activity to your stay; Gori’s historic fortress, in turn, offers a viewpoint over the city and mountains.

For further orientation, you can also explore the pages on Agara, Mekheti, Surami and Didi Ateni. If you would like to compare more regions, you can also find information about Adjara, Racha-Lechkhumi and Lower Svaneti, Samegrelo and Upper Svaneti and Imereti.

What can you see at Uplistsikhe?

In the cave city, you can walk along streets and through squares and see public spaces, temples, a theater, pharmacies, wine presses and wine cellars carved into the rock.

How long is the hiking trail to Biisi Waterfall?

The hiking trail through the Ateni Valley is 2.5 kilometers long.

What is distinctive about the Church of St. Nicholas in Kintsvisi?

It dates from the 12th to 13th century and is the complex’s central domed building. The icons of saints feature Georgian Asomtavruli script and Greek inscriptions.

What is Nazuki?

Nazuki is a sweet bread with a tradition passed down over centuries, especially common in the cuisine of Shida Kartli.

For the main travel overview: Georgia.