Bertubani Cave Monastery (Region of Kakheti)
Bertubani Monastery (Georgian: გარეჯის ბერთუბნის მონასტერი) – One of the monasteries of the cave monastery complexes of David-Gareja, first mentioned in historical sources in the VI century. Bertubani – also called the village next to the monastery, which was a patriarchal estate. The monastery, founded by David Garejeli and his disciples, is a complex of two-story caves cut out in the rock. On the first floor there is a water reservoir, monks’ cells and a tomb. The monastic center is located on the second floor, which consists of a church, refectory and a group of cult caves.
The rock-cut main church of Bertubani, impresses the visitor. Church of the Holy Virgin Mary, is a hall-type building. The sanctuary is separated from the hall by an iconostasis. The eastern part of the church is painted with religious compositions of the 13th century. Frescoes of Georgian kings, Queen Tamar and Lasha-Giorgi deserve special attention. Today Bertubani Monastery is located on the disputed territory of Azerbaijan and Georgia. The Azerbaijani side, for unknown reasons, declares it a monument of Albanian culture and tries to appropriate the ancient Georgian monastery.
Gareji Desert (Georgian: გარეჯის უდაბნო), Sagarejo Municipality (Georgian: საგარეჯოს მუნიციპალიტეტი)