There is a tourist attraction in Georgia that covers two countries at once. It starts near the Georgian city of Rustavi and ends on the territory of Azerbaijan. This is the David Gareja monastery complex.

This complex consists of about 20 monasteries that stand on the surface. There are still about a hundred caves with monastic cells under the ground. The main shrine of this place is the Lavra of St. David, which is located at the foot of the cliff on the Georgian side. Today it is an active monastery and it’s forbidden for tourists to visit it.

The place is very colorful. Numerous caves are carved directly in the rock. Monasteries with red tile roofs seem to grow out of the rock, and then grow back. They’re all worth visiting. Mysterious caves hide many ancient secrets.

The history of the complex began in the 6th century with several caves in which the Syrian monk David and his disciple Lucian huddled. David was booed in Georgia. So, disappointed, he went to the Gareja Desert. According to legend, David banished a terrible dragon from these places, which, according to historians, was merely the ancestor of the local snakes (the Viper).

David’s followers began to come to the caves where he lived. So the monastery began to grow and the entire cave complexes were formed. Hollows in the rocks of the Gareja Desert became more numerous, and external monasteries were built. All this continued until the 17th century. Then people began to leave the monasteries and caves. The complex was destroyed during numerous military operations and natural disasters. Later, It was restored because of the conflict between Georgia and Azerbaijan. Each country wanted to get the whole complex.

It is impossible to see all the monasteries and explore all the caves in one day. If you don't have much time, you should definitely visit the Grave of St. David, the unique caves of Tetri Udabno with beautiful frescoes, the Natlismtsebeli and Sabereebi complexes.

Tourists also love this attraction for the stunning views that open from the top, and for the opportunity to visit two countries at the same time.