Uplistsikhe: Ancient City-Fortress Of Queen Tamar – Extraordinary Ruler Dubbed ‘King of Kings and Queen of Queens’

MessageToEagle.com – Uplistsikhe (today in ruins) is a cave-town fortress, one of the oldest religious, political and cultural centers of present-day Georgia located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe.

Uplistsikhe was a pagan holy place.

In 13th century, it was destroyed by Mongols by the invading Mongols led by Hulagu, Genghis Khan grandson, in the XIII century. Then it was left and abandoned.
In 13th century, it was destroyed by Mongols by the invading Mongols led by Hulagu, Genghis Khan grandson, in the XIII century. Then it was left and abandoned.

The city was also one of the oldest urban settlements in the Caucasus. It arose at the dawn of the Iron Age, at the beginning of the first millennium BC and stood directly on the path of the old Silk Road.

Over three thousand years of its history it has experienced several ups and downs, and finally was abandoned in the XIX century.

The long history of the cave-town fortress, Uplistsikhe, is still recognizable in the remains of unique architectural buildings of different ages, religions and civilizations, all buried in several layers beneath the ground.

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Uplistsikhe, of which name means‘fortress of the ruler (or ‘fortress of the lord’), is a huge cave city, about 10 kilometers from the town Gori and carved into volcanic rocks on the shore of the river Mtkvari.

It arose at the dawn of the Iron Age, at the beginning of the first millennium BC.

The city is divided into three parts: south (lower), middle (central) and north (upper) covering an area of approximately 8 hectares. The largest, central part of Uplistsikhe is connected to the southern part via a narrow rock-cut pass and a tunnel. The city had the central “street” connected with a number of narrow alleys and staircases leading to many different structures.

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Niches and stairs carved in the cliffs along the river, centuries ago, lead into the fascinating ruins of living quarters, storages, temples, especially the Palace of Queen Tamar, the most extraordinary ruler in Georgian Golden Age. Tamar was named “King of Kings and Queen of Queens”.

See also:

Spectacular Vardzia Cave Monastery – Huge Underground Complex Founded By The “Mountain Queen” Tamar

Mangup-Kale: Spectacular Ancient Cave City Hidden In The Crimean Mountains And Home To The Mysterious Kingdom Of Feodoro

Ancient Secrets Of The Theopetra Cave: World’s Oldest Man-Made Structure And Home To Humans 130,000 Years Ago

The majority of the caves are lacking decorations. The central ensemble, a big hall with coffered tunnel-vaulted ceiling, and the palace complex, is the most interesting one architecturally. The ribbed ceiling with an aperture, a smoke outlet which also admitted light, was supported by two columns carved from the living rock; the hall had niches-loggias on three sides.

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At the peak of its full prosperity in the 9th – 11th centuries, the city had a population of 20 000. Before the IV century, when Georgia adopted Christianity, Uplistsikhe was a pagan holy place. It was a stop for the caravans during the legendary Silk Road.

In 13th century, it was destroyed by Mongols by the invading Mongols led by Hulagu, Genghis Khan grandson, in the XIII century. Then it was left and abandoned.

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Archaeological excavations revealed numerous antiquitie, s a pharmacy, a wine cellar and a secret tunnel to the river. There are still many inaccessible and yet unexplored caves in the area of this monumental city.

Ancient city of Uplistsikhe, without exaggeration, was one of the most important monuments of Georgian culture.

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