UPLIS-TSIKHE AND GORI - PART II

Following lunch, we got in the car to drive the short distance to the cave city. It was a hike up the sandstone, but even Cheryl (who has a bad foot) made it without incident. The following pictures will give you a good understanding of the place.

It just looks like a big slippery stone with a church on the top. But wait......

It is honeycombed with all sorts of dwellings.

This was the queen's room.

I certainly "thought" it appropriate for the 'king' to sit in the queen's chair.

Even the ceilings had been painstakenly carved. I am amazed that this was done over two thousand years ago - certainly speaking about the creativity of humans.

Undoubtedly one of the most important places in the whole community.

Karol thought that it looked like a great fish.

It seems as if these pots were strategically places for amateur photographers.

Once inside the church, one can't help but admire the many icons.

Some of the icons seem to attract worshippers. A candle is placed in a special container in the vicinity of the icon.

The icons represent saints long deceased. These saints are still living among us.

St. Nino's cross, the first sainted Georgian woman.

St. Nino, a slave from Cappadocia, cured a child by placing her hairshirt on her and praying. Then  Queen Nana heard of this and Nino cured her by prayer of some unknown malady and converted her to Christianity.

Karol and Cheryl enjoy a break on a stone chair outside the church.

I climbed to the highest point and shot the picture toward the church. The holes must have had some kinds of posts in them creating an additional building.

Another "throne" room.

On the backside of the stone city, at the base of the mountain, lay a large group of ruined homes.

CLICK HERE to see a video of the ruins.