Chichkhituri Cave Monastery (Region of Kakheti)
Chichkhituri Monastery (Georgian: გარეჯის ჩიჩხიტურის მონასტერი) – The cave monastery of David Gareja complex, located on the ridge between the Lavra of St. David and the monasteries of St. John the Baptist (Natlismtsemeli) (Georgian. იოანე ნათლისმცემემელი). The monastery is located on the northern slope of the mountain, on top of which stands the Chichkhituri Tower (Georgian: ჩიჩხიტურის კოშკი). It is visible from almost every monastery in the Gareji desert. Scholars are divided on the purpose of the tower. One group claimed that, like the surviving towers on the territory of the Gareji complex, it had an observational purpose. A thorough study of the tower disproved this hypothesis. The Chichkhituri Tower was a place of stylite. On each floor of such a tower, with rare exceptions, there was only one hermit.
In addition to the tower, the Chichhituri monastery includes three cauldrons and among them a painted church. On the walls of the church there is a faded painting, which dates back to the first half of the XII century. Due to the collapse of the rock, the church was completely opened from the south. On the eastern wall of the church is engraved an inscription in two lines in Old Georgian script – Mkhedruli (Georgian: მხედრული), which mentions the name of Zosime-Pimen. There is also a semicircular arched niche about sixty centimeters deep. On the entire height of the inner wall of the niche is a red painted cross resting on a three-stage pedestal. The church is surrounded by cells to the east and west. To date, it is impossible to enter the Chichkhituri Monastery from the Georgian side, as it is a disputed territory between Georgia and Azerbaijan.
Gareji Desert (Georgian: გარეჯის უდაბნო), Sagarejo Municipality (Georgian: საგარეჯოს მუნიციპალიტეტი)