Uplistsikhe, Georgia - Exploring a 3,000 Year Old Cave City and a 9th Century Orthodox Church on top

Описание: Uplistsikhe is one of those places that forces you to rethink everything you thought you knew about Georgia. From a distance, it looks simple: a ridge of pale rock, an old red-roofed church, and a handful of caves. But the moment you start climbing, you realise you’re walking through three thousand years of history carved directly into stone and BY HAND.

Sitting above the Kura River near Gori, Uplistsikhe is one of the oldest cave cities in the world — older than Tbilisi, older than Christianity in Georgia, and old enough that archaeologists still argue about its earliest purpose. What they do know is this: people lived, traded, worshipped, cooked, stored wine, and raised families here long before written history reached this region.

Walking across those smooth rock steps with my kids, we could feel how much life had passed through this place. The ancient roads, the carved drainage system, the collapsed halls, the wine cellars cut into the floor and it all tells a story of a city that thrived long before anything else around it existed.

Archaeologists date Uplistsikhe back to the late second millennium BC (Early Iron Age). At its height, around 5,000 people may have lived here, and the city became a key political and religious centre during pre-Christian Georgia. Pagan sanctuaries once burned with fire offerings to sun and sky gods on this hilltop.

But when Christianity spread through Georgia, everything changed. The pagan temples were converted into churches, and the heart of the site became the Church of the Dormition, built in the 9th–10th century on top of far older foundations. Inside the church today you can just make out traces of saints and geometric patterns on the some of the pale frescoes.

The entire cave city feels like a skeleton of Georgian civilisation: stone corridors shaped by centuries of footsteps, natural light pouring into chambers that once echoed with prayer or trade, and wind that still whistles through openings carved thousands of years ago.

We’ve visited dozens of Orthodox sites across Georgia, but nothing feels quite like Uplistsikhe. It’s vast, atmospheric, and wild. The climb is steep in parts (kids will need help, and those with mobility issues may find it challenging), but the views at the top and the sense of ancient history beneath your feet make it one of the most incredible places you can visit in Georgia.

📍 Location: Near Gori, Shida Kartli, Georgia
🚗 How to Visit: Easy day trip from Tbilisi or Gori
💡 Tip: Visit early morning or late afternoon for softer light and fewer crowds
⛪ Don’t Miss: Church of the Dormition, pagan temple foundations, Queen Tamar’s Hall, ancient wine cellars, and the cliffside viewpoints

This video is part of my weekly series exploring Georgia’s Holy Orthodox Sites and the places where history and landscape intersect. If you enjoy discovering ancient places, following our family’s journey through Georgia, or learning about the country’s Orthodox heritage, make sure to like, subscribe, and follow the playlist.

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