After breakfast we went for a walk in Borjomi and visited the historical Mineral Water Park and associated gardens. The park is beside the Agura River that was in near maximum flow due to the melting of winter snow and ice in the Caucasus Mountains to the north. The noise of boulders tumbling in the strong river current was very apparent and river rafting which is popular in this region, would be presumably quite dangerous at this time of the year.
Agura River, Historical Mineral Water Park, Borjomi
Within the park is a mineral spring which has waters consumed in large volumes by the many visitors who believe that it has miraculous therapeutic properties.
Tsar Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra stayed at their Summer Palace near Borjomi having brought their son Alexei to this city hoping that the mineral waters would alleviate his haemophilia.
We tasted the mineral water finding it both slightly salty and having an odour of sulfur. Unfortunately a miraculous cure for old age was not forthcoming!
Jak & Sinclair tasting the mineral water at Historical Mineral Water Park, Borjomi
A number of visitors to the park were seen filling 5L containers with the water presumably to seek out the benefits of this so called elixir.
Statue of Prometheus, Borjomi Historical Mineral Water Park
Lush spring growth on trees, Borjomi Historical Mineral Water Park
In the Borjomi street near the park are examples of unusual and highly attractive Georgian architecture. Most notably was the former Persian Viceroy’s house in blue with its intricately mirrored ceiling second floor veranda. The house now provides luxury accommodation for the many visitors to this city seeking its famous water.
Former Persian Viceroy’s house outside Borjomi Historical Mineral Water Park
Corinne purchased a lovely double sided enamel and silver pendant from one of the many souvenir shops in the vicinity of the Mineral Water Park.
We then headed south westwards and had coffee in the fortress town of Akhalikhe. We briefly visited the local open market area to purchase some spices and view the peculiar array of mechanical, electrical and other goods on sale.
Fortress town of Akhalikhe
We decided to bypass the 12th century Safara Monastery and spend more time at the Khertvisi Fortress. This impressive 10th century fortress appears castle-like with its encircling high stone wall perched on a rocky crag above the confluence of the Paravani and Mtkvari Rivers. According to semi-legendary tradition Alexander the Great fought battles here which in itself is surprising considering he lived 1400 years before this fortress was built!
Khertvisi Fortress
Khertvisi Fortress
Khertvisi Fortress
We then had one of the absolute highlights of our Georgian visit; namely the cave city and monastery ensemble of Vardzia.
Cave city and monastery ensemble of Vardzia
Cave city and monastery ensemble of Vardzia
The remarkable city of Vardzia is both a cultural symbol and an absolutely spectacular natural phenomenon that could be best described as the “Petra of Georgia”.
King Giorgi III built a fortification here in the 12th century and his daughter ‘King’ Tamar established the cave monastery that grew into a holy city housing as many as 2000 monks.
The city entails 400 rooms, 13 churches and 25 wine cellars carved into a high sandstone mountain hillside. The monks lived in these rock-hewn dwellings that constitute a 13 storey cave building; a structure of mind-boggling proportion.
A major earthquake in 1283 destroyed the outer sections of many of the caves which had previously been hidden behind stone walls.
Cave city and monastery ensemble of Vardzia
Cave city and monastery ensemble of Vardzia
At the heart of this incredible spectacle is the Church of the Assumption with its twin arched portico and three bells. One of the many frescoes shows King Tamar before she married as shown by the fact that she’s not wearing a wimple around her neck.
Church of the Assumption, Cave city and monastery ensemble of Vardzia
King Tamar, Church of the Assumption, Cave city and monastery ensemble of Vardzia
Bells, Church of the Assumption, Cave city and monastery ensemble of Vardzia
The multitude of pathways through this complex collection of caverns could result in one getting lost. Natia, our guide managed to get us to an isolated back corner through a low narrow tunnel to the ‘spring’ where drinking water was directed through terracotta pipes to areas below.
Spring, Cave city and monastery ensemble of Vardzia
After a fascinating time exploring this amazing ‘city’ we descended through a sequence of three steep narrow tunnels and emerged at the lower level with a short walk back to the car park.
Natia in Tunnel, Cave city and monastery ensemble of Vardzia
Black Redstart, below Cave city and monastery ensemble of Vardzia
We then drove to the Vardzia Resort which will be our accommodation for the next two nights.
This has been a memorable day and the Vardzia Cave City is surely deserving of a high listing among the ‘wonders of the world’!