A closer look
Defensive architecture hit absolute peak paranoia in the twelfth century. Commissioned by Queen Tamar, this sprawling subterranean city was secretly carved deep into the side of the Erusheti Mountain to protect Georgians from invading Mongol hordes. At its height, Vardzia contained over six thousand apartments, a throne room, and a massive church, all connected by hidden tunnels. Today, cliff-walking tourists explore the exposed remnants of this rock-hewn fortress, largely ripped open by a devastating earthquake in 1283.
