Richard And Jo Demeester's photos with the keyword: cave city

A view to the caves of Hasankeyf.

View of the aforementioned chapel at Vanis Qvabebi. The only access is via a series of tunnels and ladders that begins in one of the lower caves, and winds up inside the rock.

High up on the cliffs, in the cave city of Vanis Qvabebi, near Vardzia, this chapel sits on a narrow ledge. Unfortunately, the height is not conveyed by the photo, but if you make out the steps below in the steep sided valley, you can start to comprehend the precarious location of this little building. This cave city predates Vardzia by about 400 years, with the earliest caves (and this chapel) dating to the 9th century.

View to the 800 year old cave city of Vardzia. More than just a monastery and centre of learning, it was a city in its own right. While many of the caves were used for living, there were stables and libraries and schools. In the photo, you can see the arches from some of the churches and chapels.

We nearly missed this cave, as it was a bit awkward to get to, but since it was one of the very few which had a sign, we made a bigger effort. And glad we did. The carved arches and the work around the column made it a highlight.

The view up and down the river from Uplistsikhe is quite extensive and very pretty.

A church on the hilltop above the cave city of Uplistsikhe. Sheep grazing by the approach road looked after by a shepherd with a staff.

The cave city of Uplistsikhe lies largely in ruins, but some remains are quite distinct, including pagan temples (later converted to churches) and dwellings.