Uplistsikhe - Cave city-fortress
It is not easy to answer the question of what particularly impressed in Georgia. But the ancient cave city of Uplistsikhe (Georgian for 'lord's fortress') is undoubtedly worthy of attention if you start from Tbilisi. Those who have been to the cave cities of Crimea (Mangup, Eske-Kermen, Chufut-Kale) will find a certain similarity. "Deja vu" overcame us too. True, the settlement on the left bank of the river. Kura (Georgian Mtkvari) is ancient (from the 6th century AD) and larger: a powerful fortress city with a population of more than 10 thousand people cannot be bypassed in a couple of hours. But you can look around and wander enough along the convenient ledges and ancient steps. In addition to dwellings in grottoes, here and there - the oldest baths for squeezing juice from grapes, storage for wine... and even a theater! Today Uplistsikhe is a historical and archaeological reserve of world importance, where excavations are still being carried out. Finds - ancient tools, weapons, utensils, women's jewelry - are exhibited in the museum at the entrance to the complex, the most valuable ones were transferred to the National Museum of Georgia in Tbilisi. From the slopes of Uplistsikhe, a magnificent panorama of the river and the city of Gori opens up, known as a parking lot for caravans that walked along the great Silk Road. However, much more often the city of Gori is remembered as the birthplace of the "father of the peoples" I. Stalin. It is not difficult to get to these places from the Georgian capital (the way along the Tbilisi-Gori highway after our roads is a pleasure), so to complete the experience after getting to know Tbilisi and Mtskheta, an excursion to Uplistsikhe and the Gori fortress is a great idea for lovers of trekking and ancient legends.
