OUPLISTSIKHÉ WEBSITE

Ouplistsikhé is an exceptional site. The ancient troglodytic city is set in a grandiose site, on a rocky massif overlooking the Mtkvari River. The town played an important role in Georgia's history, from the Bronze Age to the Middle Ages. the "City of God" is one of the oldest human settlements in the Caucasus. From the ^1st millennium BC to the ^4th century AD, the city was a major cultural, spiritual and political center. It is imagined that the first inhabitants lived in natural caves, digging others, before building palaces, temples and city gates. In the Middle Ages, Ouplistsikhé was an important trading point on the Silk Road, located on the caravan route linking Central Asia to Russia and Anatolia. Strategically better protected, it was a refuge for the rulers of Tbilisi. It was said that "whoever wanted to conquer Georgia had to take Ouplistsikhé". When the city was taken by the Arabs, the kings of Kartlie made it their residence. The city lost its importance in the ^12th century, when David the Reconstructor made Tbilisi the capital of his kingdom. Then came the Mongols, Tamerlane and earthquakes, leading to its decline. Nevertheless, the city remained inhabited until the early ^20th century. At its peak in the Middle Ages, between the ^9th and ^11th centuries, it had a population of 20,000.

Climbing up to Chida Kalaki, the "inner city", from the river, we discover Georgia's oldest theater, of which only the stage remains (supported by a concrete pillar); the rest has collapsed. Heading upstream, you come across Ouplistouli, a ^ninth- and ^{tenth-century} basilica built on an eagle's nest. Next to it, you can visit the ancient pagan temple where, it is said, human sacrifices were performed. On the left, as you climb towards the church, you'll see the "Hall of Queen Tamar", Tamaris Dabarzi, possibly the city's royal palace; inside, two columns date back to antiquity. In the basement, you can see the prison, and to the sides, the ancient pharmacy (where archaeologists have found medicinal herbs and parchments). Above this room, a grotto with 4 columns: this was the temple of the sun in pagan times. Climbing above the church, you can see the remains of ceramic pipes that supplied Ouplistsikhé with water from a spring a few kilometers upstream. A tunnel leads to the ancient town gate.