There are only three monuments carved in the rocks of Georgia: Uplistsikhe, Vardzia and David-Gareja, of which the oldest is Uplistsikhe. It is located on the left coast of Mtkvari, 10 kilometers from the town of Gori. Uplistsikhe represented the residence of a local leader of the tribe "like the Lord" ("Uplis Sadaris Tsikhe"). He was called so because the leader of the tribe had great power and this name comes from here. Uplis Sadaris Tsikhe or shortly Uplistsikhe. The name Uplistsikhe was given even during idolatry, so the comparison of the tribal leader with the Lord is the term determining power, and not religion.
“The caving of Uplistsikhe caves began 1000 years before our time"
Uplistsikhe is the only monument of the ancient era in Georgia, which at the moment has been preserved above the earth. The city has streets, squares, water supply channels, various buildings, four porches, a secret tunnel leading to Mtkvari, fencing and others. For today, the fortress city is an open-air museum.
According to the legend Uplistsikhe was erected by slaves. The slaves were given picks, half of which were covered with iron, than they carved caves, and the second part with gold. The slave had to work in such a way as to wear out a simple metal, as a result, he received freedom and precious metal, that is, gold. This all remains a legend, although the fact is that from the beginning of the first millennium of the old chronology in Uplistsikhe our ancestors began work on the carving of the halls.
"Here you will find the hall of the great Georgian queen Tamara."
For a long time, in the ancient period, there were about 700 caves. For today there are only 150. In Uplistsikhe there is a three-story basilica of the Byzantine style
named after Saint George. Outside the church there is a Kvevri (wine jug) for offerings. When a child was born in the family, wine was poured into the Kvevri and when he was 16, it was taken to church and left there.