Aspindza Municipality
Aspindza: Vardzia cave monastery of Queen Tamar, Khertvisi fortress, Vanis Kvabebi and the Mtkvari canyon. History, tips and routes.
Aspindza Municipality — overview
MunicipalityHistory
Aspindza Municipality lies in the centre of the Samtskhe-Javakheti region, in the deep canyon of the Mtkvari (Kura) River between Akhaltsikhe and the Javakheti plateau, with the townlet of Aspindza as its administrative centre, at about 1,090 m above sea level on the right bank of the Mtkvari. The municipality covers about 825 km² of rocky gorges, terraces and volcanic uplands, and it is home to some of the most spectacular monuments of medieval Georgia.
The jewel of the municipality is Vardzia, a vast cave monastery cut into the cliffs of Mount Erusheti on the left bank of the Mtkvari. Built in stages from 1156 under King George III and his daughter, Queen Tamar, it once included hundreds of rooms on many levels; 242 caves survive today. The Church of the Dormition, carved into the rock in the 1180s, preserves frescoes of 1184–1186, including a famous portrait of Queen Tamar. An earthquake in 1283 destroyed much of the outer slope. Vardzia and Khertvisi are on UNESCO’s Tentative List.
Nearby are two more landmarks. Khertvisi fortress, one of the oldest in Georgia, rises at the confluence of the Mtkvari and Paravani rivers; its present walls date presumably from the 10th–11th centuries, and King Erekle II retook it from the Ottomans in 1771. The cave monastery of Vanis Kvabebi, founded in the 8th century and protected by a defensive wall built in 1204, lies close to Vardzia.
Aspindza is also known for the Battle of Aspindza on 20 April 1770, when King Erekle II of Kartli-Kakheti defeated an Ottoman army near the town. In the 20th century the area’s population changed dramatically with the deportation of the Meskhetians in 1944.
For travellers, Aspindza is the heart of a classic route through southern Georgia: explore Vardzia (allow at least two hours), stop at Khertvisi and Vanis Kvabebi, and relax at the riverside guesthouses of the Mtkvari canyon before continuing to Akhaltsikhe or the Javakheti lakes.
FAQ
1) Where is Aspindza Municipality located?
In the centre of Samtskhe-Javakheti, in the Mtkvari canyon between Akhaltsikhe and the Javakheti plateau.
2) What is the administrative centre?
The townlet of Aspindza, on the right bank of the Mtkvari.
3) Is Vardzia in Aspindza Municipality?
Yes, the Vardzia cave monastery is in Aspindza Municipality.
4) When was Vardzia built?
In stages from 1156 under George III and Queen Tamar.
5) How many caves survive at Vardzia?
About 242 caves.
6) What is special about the Church of the Dormition?
It is carved into the rock and preserves frescoes of 1184–1186, including a portrait of Queen Tamar.
7) What is Khertvisi?
One of Georgia’s oldest fortresses, at the confluence of the Mtkvari and Paravani.
8) What was the Battle of Aspindza?
A battle on 20 April 1770 in which Erekle II defeated an Ottoman army.
9) What is Vanis Kvabebi?
An 8th-century cave monastery near Vardzia, protected by a wall built in 1204.
10) Where can I find official municipal information?
On the municipality’s official website.