GEORGIA - Uplistsikhe

AIRVŪZ STAFF NOTE : Top AirVuz contributor Fabio Knoll brings us this fantastic drone video from the ancient town of Uplistsikhe in the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains in Georgia. Situated just a few miles/km from the town of Gori in east-central Georgia, Uplistsikhe sits above the banks of the Kura (Mtkvari) River. Inhabited for thousands of years, Uplistsikhe became one of the most important political and religious centers in Georgia during the early decades of the first milennium AD, when Georgia became one of the first areas to adopt Christianity.

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Carved directly into sandstone cliffs above the Mtkvari River, Uplistsikhe stands as one of the oldest urban settlements in Georgia — a rock-hewn city that flourished long before the rise of Christianity. Dating back to the early Iron Age, this ancient complex once served as a major political, religious, and cultural center along the Silk Road, where pagan temples, ceremonial halls, and interconnected chambers formed a unique architectural world shaped by hand and stone.

From above, the city’s layout becomes clear: winding tunnels, cave dwellings, defensive passages, and the remnants of a sophisticated urban system adapted to the harsh landscape of the Caucasus. The aerial perspective reveals the ingenuity of its builders and the strategic importance of its position overlooking the valley below.

This film presents Uplistsikhe not only as an archaeological marvel but as a testament to Georgia’s deep historical roots — a rare window into an ancient civilization that once thrived at the crossroads of empires.