Mghvimevi Mothers' Monastery - a monastery in the gorge of the river Kvirila, near the village of Mghvimevi, Chiatura Municipality.

It is easier to get to the monastery from Chiatura. A narrow and rather long staircase leads from Chiatura to the monastery, after which it is possible to enter the tunnel. The tunnel is artificially stretched, quite long, and its roof is fortified with supporting arches.

The monastery complex consists of many buildings. The main temple is named after the Savior. It is a two-aisled basilica, the boats of which are separated from each other by massive columns. The façade of the building is decorated with very luxurious carvings. Here we find: carvings around the window, monumental crosses, rhombuses tied together, cornice carvings, etc. One of the sights of the Savior's Temple is the wooden iconostasis, which is completely painted. The door of the iconostasis is decorated with embossed plates, and at the top there is a composition of the Savior and the Twelve Apostles, various episodes of his (the Savior's) life. The temple also has frescoes on the wall, including portraits of Rati Eristavi, the founder of the monastery in the 13th century, his wife and brother, Niania Kakhaberisdze. Behind the central temple is the Cave of the Cave, where services are held on major holidays.

Another landmark of the monastery is the small hall church. Its ceiling and west wall are natural rock. On the east wall of this church there is a bas-relief of an Aries head, and on the outside of the south wall there is a fresco. There are other architectural buildings of the monastery: the bell tower and the nuns' quarters. The cave monastery housed unique embossed icons and a magnificent pattern of wood carving, a vine door. Today, these products are preserved in the funds of the Georgian State Museum of Art. Mghimevi Monastery is one of the most distinguished monuments in Georgia due to its location.

Katskhi column
Katskhi Column - a rock formed in the village of Katskhi, Chiatura Municipality, on the watershed of the rivers Katskhuri (the right tributary of the Kvirili) and Gvitori (the tributary of the Buji Left).

The height of the column is 40 meters. Some scholars believe that the Katskhi column was originally the residence of the Monophysite Gandegila, although this view is not universally shared, due to a lack of proper argumentation. On the upper platform of the column there are two small churches (today they are preserved in the form of ruins). Researchers have linked the construction of chapels in such places to Mesopotamia, which was widespread in Asia Minor in the 6th century, and primarily to Syria, with which Christian Georgia had close ties. One of the churches (V c.) Is dry-built with locally extracted, rough-hewn stone, the apse is carved into the rock. The second (VI c.) Is built from the bottom with well-smoothed frames, has a crypt (lower floor - a tomb). Nobody knows exactly when the religious life on the Katskhi column stopped, but during the reign of Vakhushti Batonishvili, monks no longer worked here.

The architectural monuments of Katskhi Column were visited by a group of mountaineers in 1944 under the leadership of Alexander Japaridze. Until recently, it was impossible to climb the Katskhi column without mountaineering equipment.

Since 2007, with the funding of the Cultural Heritage Protection and Survival Fund, the rehabilitation works of the buildings on the column have started. At present, it is possible to climb Katskhi column for everyone. The chapels at the foot of the column have been restored, thanks to the monk Maxime, who is currently working on the column.

In 2007, Father Maxime discovered a small limestone limestone (dimensions 41X21 cm) in the ruins of the Katskhi column, on which a ten-line Georgian Asomtavruli inscription is engraved. The inscription with palaeographic signs dates back to the 13th century. The inscription mentions a very sinful George, who built the "Three Houses" on the "pillar of life" - that is, for the prisoners at the top of the column.

Katskhi Temple - built in the early XI century. Most of it was built between 1010 and 1014, and was built 30 years later on three sides.

The building is surrounded by a pentagonal fence (restored in 1937). The temple has an old bell tower, which also serves as a gate. Katskhi Temple is one of the most distinctive and original monuments of Georgian architecture. Architectural monuments of similar shapes are not found anywhere else. The building consists of three stepped sections: the perimeter, the temple building and the dome neck. The temple building and the dome have six apses.

The building was completely decorated with luxurious carvings, but in 1854 the church underwent a thorough "restoration", as a result of which the old building (which was decorated with beautiful carvings) was rebuilt and rebuilt. To date, only a part of the surrounding area has retained its original appearance. One of Katskhi’s most remarkable landmarks is the scene of the raising of the cross by four angels, it is located on the right side of the inner circle. Unfortunately, this piece of art has not retained its original appearance either, as it has been painted white for unknown reasons. In the courtyard of the temple there is a monumental bas-relief of a lion, which was supposedly placed on the wall of the building, but after the "restoration" of 1854 it was removed. At the top of all the entrances to the church are bas-reliefs (mostly images of a lion). All bas-reliefs of the temple have Asomtavruli inscriptions. Most of the inscriptions are supplied

Sveri Fortress 

Sueri Fortress - a medieval fortress in western Georgia, Imereti, on the left bank of the river Sveriskhevi, north of the present-day village of Sveri.

The castle is preserved in the form of ruins. The border between the VI-VII centuries is considered to be the date of construction of the Sverre Fortress. According to historical written sources, Sverre Castle already existed during the Murvan-Krus invasions. It is noteworthy that the latter failed to capture it. The castle of Sverd is first mentioned in the XI century. In 1068, the historian tells us about the invasions of Alf-Arslan: "Where they had to flee rather than to the castle of Sverre." Vakhushti Batonishvili also gives us information about the prison. During the expedition to Imereti in 1661, the king of Kartli - Vakhtang V - took it and handed it over to the feudal house of the Abashidzes. 1744 King Alexander V of Imereti takes over. 2 years later the Abashidzes recaptured it. After the Battle of Khresili (1757) he surrendered to the Imereti royal government. In 1763, the Ottomans captured and destroyed it. In later years, Sverre Castle was rebuilt. During the Imereti Uprising (1810) the Russian army occupied it. After that, Sverre Castle lost its former significance.

Chiatura Caves
 The Chiatura region is especially rich in karst caves, which are mainly cultivated in the limestone zone, which contributes to the development of karst processes. The caves in the river Sadzalikhevi are distinguished by their natural exoticism. Giorgi Dvalashvili, TSU Assistant Professor, singles out seven caves that are especially interesting for specialists and tourists in this region. According to modern estimates, the valleys of Sadzaliskhevi, Katskhura and Jruchula are interesting. This year, the expedition of geographers clarified the coordinates of the location of the caves of Jruchula gorge and developed their tourist potential. Geographers, led by Giorgi Dvalashvili, in 2010 carried out theoretical passportization and planning of tourist routes in Chiatura district, specifically for caves. According to the geographer, not only the public, but also the local population has little information about their own wealth. However, in one local region, visiting caves in a small area is an attractive adventure for tourists.

Archaeological excavations are also carried out in Georgian caves on a regular basis, which is based on speleological materials. Recent discoveries and hieroglyphs by Nika Tushabramishvili's Achaeological Expedition in the Udo Cave have been discovered in recent years. Arriving at this cave is not so easy, but it is an interesting route for extreme lovers.

Giorgi Dvalashvili: "The expedition of the Georgian State Museum, led by Professor Tushabramishvili, has been working for more than 10 years in the cave of Ortvala Rock in the village of Rgani. The following animals have been identified: zebras, deer, roe deer, deer, wild boar, wild goat, chestnut bear, wolf, cave bear, Siberian badger, hedgehog, marten, Prometheus mouse, etc. These karst caves, caves form the basis of the region. The development of cultural-cognitive and extreme tourism should be quite intensive. "

Ortvala Rock (Tsiltos III) Cave is located near the village of Perevis. It is a historic building with traces of artificial processing on the walls of the previous two large tunnels, pitchers and pottery fragments have been found, the cave is easy to access and easy to cross. It was explored by an expedition from the Institute of Geography in 1959 and 1990.

Chipanikldi cave is on the river. On the left slope of Kvirila, on a rocky plateau, 410 m above sea level. At the height. It is a historic building - pitchers, a swimming pool and a cemetery. To pass it you need a speleological device. This cave was described by geographers as early as 1955.

Archaeological monument is the cave of Gvarjalaskldi in the village. In the vicinity of Rgani, the river. In the Cherula Basin. It is subject to the State Commission for the Protection of Monuments. Remains of the Upper Paleolithic era are traced here; Kaji and Obsidian tools. The existence of wild boar, zebra, squirrel, deer, chestnut load, wolf, cave bear, hedgehog, marten and other animals has been established. The cave is easily accessible and passable. Gvarjalaskldi cave was first explored by S. Archaeological Expedition of the Janashia State Museum, and later the Speleorazm of the Institute of Geography.

In the cave of the cave, which is the river. Located on the right slope of Kvirila gorge, the 13th century monastery of Mghvimevi is located. Remains of ancient material human culture (Upper Paleolithic) - tools of flint and obsidian bone and deer antler - have also been found here. Primary bull or domba, horse, lion, cave bear, etc. are established. Signs of animal existence. Patterns of Upper Paleolithic man painting have been found on the wall of one of the hangars. The cave is archaeologically studied by Apakidze, N. Berdzenishvili, Al. Kalandadze, d. By Tushabramishvili and others.

Archaeological site is Dzudzuana Cave, which is located south of the village Darkveti. It is located in the Nikris Valley. In 2008, a 32,000-year-old yarn made from reeds was discovered here. In the part of the cave there is a Paleolithic human settlement (flint and obsidian tools, animal bones), in the upper layer - clay pottery; Large remnants of a primitive dog and a backbone horse have been found. The first floor is easy to cross, and the second floor requires speleological equipment, the cave is archeologically d. Tushabramishvali and st. Dvali studied. Speleologically, it was first described and researched by the Speleoexpedition of the Institute of Geography (1975).

Jruchuli Cave, which is located on the right bank of the river Jruchuli at a height of 35 m above the river level, is included in the Red Book of Georgia. There are also cultural layers here - rich archeological material of the Paleolithic period has been discovered, a 4-meter-deep pit has been excavated, animal bones, beads, knives and more have been found.

Nakhiznebi Cave in the village. Located near Gundaet, on a hard-to-reach, steep right slope. At the entrance are the ruins of a whitewashed wall, the ceiling of the cave is cracked. Cultural remnants contain plant and paleobiological remains. The cave is being rebuilt. Archaeological remains are expected to be discovered here as well. The cave is easily accessible. It was first described by Z. Tatashidze in 1957.

Paleological or archeological study of Georgian caves is still going on and according to specialists, they will surprise us many more times. As for the use of their tourism potential, it is necessary to inform tour operators and agencies first.