Samtskhe -Javakheti

Samtskhe-Javakheti is a region of Georgia located in the south of the country.

In 888-1008, Samtskhe and Javakheti were one of the regions of the Tao-Klarjeti Kingdom or the "Kingdom of the Georgians", a medieval Georgian state in western Transcaucasia.

In the 9th — early 10th century, the Abkhazian king Bagratiii of the Bagrationi dynasty united all Georgian principalities, thereby becoming the first king of united Georgia. Samtskhe and Javakheti were reunited to united Georgia in 1008.

The Javakheti plateau is one of the most interesting and attractive places in terms of its picturesqueness. Wide-spreading valleys, meadows ablaze with bright colors of flowers, numerous historical and cultural monuments and natural attractions

This southern low-mountain region has a moderately cold climate, it is good here at any time of the year. 

 Akhaltsikhe district is the administrative center of Samtskhe-Javakheti region.Modern Akhaltsikhe was founded in the first half of the 12th century A.D. From the 14th century to the 80s of the 16th century, Akhaltsikhe was a center of culture, politics and economics.Rabat Fortress is a medieval fortress in the south of Georgia, in the city of Akhaltsikhe.The history of the fortress's foundation dates back to 1578, when the city of Akhaltsikhe was taken by the Ottoman troops.

One of the main attractions of the Samtskhe-Javakheti region, along with Rabat Fortress, is Vardzia. The cave monastery complex of the XII—XIII centuries in the south of Georgia, in Javakheti, is an outstanding monument of medieval Georgian architecture. A high rock rises above the Kura and dozens of natural and man-made caves are visible in its sheer wall, like floors. Moreover, if dozens are visible from the shore of the Kura, then in fact there are hundreds of them — the rocky city consists of about 600 caves of natural and artificial origin and stretches along the river for about a kilometer.Over the course of twenty years, a dozen more churches, a library, baths were built in the cave city, a sewage system was laid and secret passages were lengthened. Currently, some caves go dozens of meters deep into the rock, and the city of Vardzia has eight "floors" in height.

Borjomi is a resort town in Samtskhe-Javakheti.The city is famous for its Borjomi mineral water, which occupies the first export position in Georgia.Archaeological excavations have discovered stone baths here, which indicates that the healing properties of mineral water were known and used in ancient times.There are over 200 historical monuments, fortresses, and churches in the Borjomi Gorge.monasteries. A special place among historical monuments is occupied by the palace of the Russian Romanov tsars, built at the end of the XVIII century.

Borjomi National Park is the first national park in the Caucasus. It was opened in 1995 with the help of a foundation and the German government. It now covers an area of 85,000 hectares and is considered one of the largest in Europe. The park has been cultivated according to all European concepts: paths have been laid, places for camping, picnics, campfires, lodges for overnight stays, and so on.