Shavi Senakebi Cave Monastery (David Gareja)
The monastery, called Shavi Senakebi (Black Caves) (Georgian: შავი სენაკების მონასტერი) – The monastery is part of the David Gareja monastery complex and is located near the neighboring monastery – Tetri Senakebi (White Caves). According to the current administrative division, part of the monastery is on the territory of Georgia, and part – on the territory of Azerbaijan. Only a few caves have survived, which were connected to each other. The structure of the carvings and arrangements is the same as in other Gareja monasteries. Like other Gareja monasteries, the Soviet military training ground located in the area used the monastery as a target. Shell fragments are scattered near the complex.
The religious and historical monument dates back to the 6th-13th centuries. On the sunlit ridge, the facades of the two-tiered cauldrons go so deep into the plane of the slope that they fall into the shadow of the ridge. That is why it was called Shavi Senakebi (Black Caves). The monument is heavily damaged. Of particular interest is the chapel, on the plastered walls of which numerous graphic paintings were found. They depict scenes of hunting desert animals. The Shavi Senakebi Monastery must have been closely connected with the Tetri Senakebi Monastery, since there is no church in it and presumably the monks used the church of the neighboring monastery. The Shavi Senakebi caves can only be accessed with the help of auxiliary equipment.
Gareji Desert (Georgian: გარეჯის უდაბნო), Municipality of Gardabani (Georgian: გარდაბნის მუნიციპალიტეტი)
