Spectacular Vardzia Cave Monastery – Huge Underground Complex Founded By The ‘Mountain Queen’ Tamar

Ellen Lloyd - AncientPages.com - Access to the impressive and expansive underground city is exclusively through discreetly concealed tunnels originating from the nearby Mtkvari River.

The cave city of Vardzia, located in southern Georgia near Aspindza, is a monastery complex intricately carved into the side of Erusheli Mountain.

Founded in 1185 by Queen Tamar, it served as a protection against the fearsome and brutal Mongols, who slaughtered people at the time.

Tamar's connection to a time of political and military triumphs, along with cultural achievements, is truly remarkable. Her role as a female ruler has inspired her idealization and romanticization in Georgian arts and historical memory. She continues to be a cherished symbol in Georgian popular culture, and her canonization by the Georgian Orthodox Church as the Holy Righteous King Tamar highlights her enduring significance.

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