Vanis-kvabebi Caves (Region of Samtskhe-Javakheti)
Vanis kvabebi (Georg. ვანის ქვაბები). A few sources give little information about what he was founded in the VIII century, and in 1204, in Vanis-kvabebi was built a protective wall whose remains you can see there now. Huge boulders in the human growth defended the modest life of the monks from the incursions of the Turks. In the IX-XI centuries, in the middle of the desert was hewn the Church of St. George and a new group of cave cells. A strong earthquake destroyed part of the cave with its church. By 1191 it was the court monastery and Vanis Kvabebi reconstruction began in the reign of Queen Tamar. The gate of St. George’s temple, a bell tower and the church of hall type was built in 1265. These places were destroyed by the Persians and by the Ottomans, after which monastic life completely ceased.
Vanis Kvabebi represents hundreds of caves carved into the rock in sixteen floors. The monastery complex consists of three churches, rooms, carved in the rock, cave, shelter, vault – a tomb and places for economic pursuits . On the cave walls of the upper floors, are the remains of the XV century inscriptions made by women who took refuge here. They transferred fragments taken from ancient Georgian poetry and prose. In Georgia there are many places about which existence you could even not suspect and which throughout many centuries in a wonderful way manage to remain in the shadow of time and human attention. Such place is Vanis-Kvabebi who has been based more than 1000 years ago and is manned to this day.With it came the construction of the more famous cave monasteries in this district.
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