Likhi Slope is located between wes­tern and eastern Georgia, 120 km from Tbilisi. It is an important geographic barrier. It lies on the boundary of moist and dry subtropical areas, catchment areas of rivers flowing to Black and Caspian seas, several historical and geographic provinces. Likhi slope connects also the Greater Kavkasioni range and the Lesser Kavkasioni range. Its highest summit is peak Ribisi located 2471 meters above the sea level. On the western knees of the range is geographic center of Georgia.
Likhi mountain range extends on 100 km and tectonically it consists of several parts. Northern part belongs to Kavkasioni, central part – to Dzirula crystal massif, and southern – to Lesser Kavkasioni. Both in western and in eastern parts of mountains the volume of precipitation increases in staggering pace, and in the high part (roughly 1200 mm) it nearly doubles.
This situation causes diversity of landscape. Within its borders there are several types of landscapes that are evident when we approach and cross the range.
Likhi slope is noted for wind resources. Here, in the vicinity of peak Sabueti (1248 m) was accounted the highest annual average wind speed in Georgia – 8 m/sec.
Local residents artistically depict the importance of Likhi slope: Likhi slope is mother of Georgia, whose one teat sucks river Mtkvari, and another – river Rioni. Drop of water on its summit splits in two parts – one flows to Black sea, and another half to Caspian sea.

Historical fortress in Shida Kartli was erected in downtown Gori, on the high rocky hillock. As archeological excavations show, the first fortified settlement here dates to IV-III cc. BC. In historical sources Gori fortress first was mentioned in XII century. Gori fortress had a strategic venue and holding it under control in Middle Ages meant establishment of control over province of Shida Kartli.
Gori fortress was renovated many times, including capital overhaul during the rein of Kartli Wali Rostom (1632-1658). The final face was given the fortress in 1774 when it was renovated by Erekle II. From 1802 Gori fortress became a station of Russian battalion of grenadiers. After that it lost practical importance. Gori fortress was severely damaged by earthquake in 1920.
Fortress was built with cobblestone. In old layers cut stone was also used. The outlines of the fortress are oval. The western part – Tskhrakara – is better preserved, on the southern and eastern parts there are support fences. In southern fence there is an arch gate. On the south-east side of the fortress there are ruins of a small church. The fortress had a tunnel for bringing water and a water pool.
In the downtown of Gori there is a house museum of the founder of the Soviet Union, dictator Joseph Stalin. Museum was opened in 1939; it consists of several parts: 1. One-story two-room building constructed with brick and air brick where Stalin was born and lived until 1883. Rooms maintain family items; 2. Marble protective shelter over this house (architect M. Neprintsev, built in 1937); 3. Two-story Stalin-architecture- style building of museum (architect A. Kurdiani, 1957) with 6 halls where exibits related to Stalin’s biography are exposed; 4. Rail car which served Stalin during his travels, including those to International conferences; 5. 6-meter bronze monument of Stalin which was installed in 1952 in downtown Gori, on the square, and was dismantled in 2010 and moved to the courtyard of the museum as an exibit.

Ikorta dome cathedral is located on the territory occupied by Russia, 35 km from the town of Tskhinvali. Not far from cathedral there is a family fortress of Ksani rulers. Ikorta cathedral was built by Giorgi III in 1172. By its layout, the dome of a square construction is based on the buttress of an altar and two pillars. Cathedral has a lavish light from 12 windows built in the neck of a dome. Fragments of mural paintings have been preserved in apses, on the northern wall and on the dome. Facades of the cathedral and a neck of the dome are richly ornamented. Ikorta is the earliest specimen of canonic dome church in Kartli of XII-XIII cc. Leaders of anti-Iranian rebellion in Kakheti Bidzina Cholokashvili, Shalva and Elizbar Eristavi of Ksani were laid to rest at Ikorta cathedral.
Largvisi monastery complex is located on the right bank of river Ksani, Akhalgori region, on the territory of Shida Kartli occupied by Russia. According to historical tradition, Largvisi became a town and a church was built in VI century (historical chronicle “The Monument of the eristavi”. XIV c.). Largvisi was a center of Tskhradzmiskhevi, there was a fortress there which was the main barrier of Ksani gorge. Famous calligrapher and painter Avgaroz Bandaisdze and his brother Grigol Bandaisdze (XIV-XV cc.) used to work at Largvisi monastery. Many manuscripts were rewritten at the monastery which have survived until our time and nowadays are kept at the National Center of Manuscripts. Largvisi monastery complex is encircled by a fence with towers (XVIII c.). Within the fence there is an inside fortress-citadel. Today’s dome cathedral was built on the place of a XIV century church in 1759 by Ksani ruler, David. Cathedral has 2 entrances (from the west and south) and is lavishly lit through windows. On the top of deacon’s room a cache is set up. There are gun emplacements. The church overall is less ornamented and the jacket stone of the church is poorly processed.

Rkoni monastery complex (VII-XVIII cc.) is located in the vicinity of the village of Chachubeti in Kaspi region, not far from village ruins of Rkoni. The oldest memorial of the complex is church of Virgin Mary (VII c.). In XIII-XIV cc. were built gates of the church of Virgin Mary, chapel, one-nave church of John the Baptist and refectory, tower of Svimon Mesvete; belfry of XVI-XVIII cc., living and utility rooms. Within a distance of 0,5 km from the monastery, on the river Tedzami is a one-span bridge – the best specimen of the bridges of medieval Georgia. Between the monastery and the village ruins is located the fortress of Rkoni (XVII c.). Inside its fence there are remnants of a palace and a church.
Rkoni monastery complex is located in 20 km to the south-west from Kaspi, on the right bank of river Tedzami. In XII-XVIII centuries Rkoni was crossed by important merchant, military and strategic ways connecting Shida Kartli with Javakheti, Trialeti and further, via Armenia, with the Middle East. That facilitated big religious architectural development in Rkoni and its environs.
The core construction of the Rkoni monastery complex is a three-nave Virgin Mary Basilica (VII c.: 18 x 12 m) with the entrance from three sides, deacon’s premises, pastophorium. There are small remnants of XII-XVII cc. mural painting. The last renovation of the church was done in 1972-74. From the gates (3,8 x 9,5) and hall-style chapel (second half of the XII century), the remnant paintings of presumably XIII-XIV centuries have been preserved in the chapel. Facades of the chapel are covered with cut stone and adorned with decoration arches and ornaments. The construction included in the complex is a refectory in the north-west from the core church. The main construction dates back to XIII-XIV centuries. Auxiliary premises (5,2×16,6) covered by arrowed arch and based on 6 carrying bends nowadays is severely damaged; the tower of Svimon Mesvete is located in 100 meters to south-west from refectory, on the other side of the river bank. Three levels are currently extant; belfry – to north-west from core church, dates XVII-XVIII centuries, a two-story building. Second level is an eight-arch cylindrical-shaped brick summer pavilion where leads a stair attached from the west side; church of John the Baptist (XIII-XIV cc.) is a hall church (7,3 x 4,3) standing to the south of the core church, in seven meters, on a two-step basement.
Rkoni (Tamar‘s) bridge is spanned across the river Tedzami within the territory of the monastery complex. The bridge dates back to XII-XIII centuries. Semi-circle 12,5 m bridge is a one-off, monolithic construction elevated on 7,6 m height from the surface of the river. Its width is 2,2 meters. It was built with broken stones in the solid mortar from lime silicate. Abutments of the bridge rest on the natural rocky basement. The bridge is extant in its primary form and is one of the best specimens of fuedal-time bridges in Georgia. Near Rkoni monastery are located a church of St. George in Ikvi and a church of Chachubeti.

The XI century dome cathedral of Samtavisi is located in the hamlet of Samtavisi in Kaspi region (one of the legends on the cathedral dates completion of construction works at 1030). Samtavisi is a Bishop cathedral. It was built on the site where the Holy Father, Isidore Samtavneli of Assyria, erected the first cathedral.
The compound is encircled with a fence inside of which, other than main cathedral, are located remnants of the palace of Bishop and a belfry (XVII c.). In the inscription on eastern facade of the cathedral the builder and the first Bishop of the cathedral, Ilarion Kanchaeli, is mentioned. In XV century seriously damaged cathedral was substantially refurbished. It was also renovated in XIX century. In the interior of the cathedral fresco painting has remained only in the altar. Samtavisi is rich with ornaments, decoration compositions. Samtavisi is regarded as the beginning of the new stage of Georgian architecture which evolved in XII-XIII centuries in the Georgian church architecture.
Ateni Sioni is located in 12 km from the town of Gori, near the hamlet of Ateni, on the left bank of river Tani, on the roadside. Cathedral belongs to VIII century and is of a cross-dome tetra-arch type construction (24 x 19 m, height 22 m). It was built with greenish-greyish square-cut sandstone. On the walls of Ateni Sioni cathedral remain unique Georgian inscriptions and postscripts in Asomtavruli mentioning historical and other individuals, dates and facts. Inscriptions are noteworthy also from language and script points. Interior of the cathedral was fully painted in the second half of XI century. Discriminating manner of painting and technical means, it is possible to identify several artists.

Uplistsikhe is located on the left bank of river Mtkvari, 10 km from the town of Gori. It can be detected on the southern slope of Kvernaki mountain range, on the area of 10 ha. Uplistsikhe is the only monument of Antique time in Georgia which nowadays remained above the surface of the ground. Town has streets, squares, water drainage ducts, various constructions, four gates, secret tunnel leading to river Mtkvari, a fence, et al. Today the fortified town is an outdoors museum.
In X-VI centuries BC Uplistsikhe was a fortress of a chieftain (ruler) of the predominant tribe in Shida Kartli. Exactly at that time it was called Uplistsikhe which means Fortified town of a ruler. As the legend goes, Uplistsikhe was built by slaves. Slaves were given a mattock with its blade covered by plain metal while underneath layer made of gold. A slave was supposed to work in a way which would grate plain metal. After that he was granted a gift of freedom and precious metal. Archeological material proves that a human settlement was here even back in XVI-XV cc. BC. In IV c. BC – III c. AD Uplistsikhe was a religious and administrative center. After adopting Christianity as a state religion in Georgia (20-ies of IV c. AD) urban life in Uplistsikhe went down but it still remained a strong fortified town. In X-XIII cc. Uplistsikhe is a buoyant fortified town and its population attains 20 000 residents. Resulting invasion of the Mongols, Uplistsikhe gradually drained of residents.
There are extant portions of halls in the rock of Antique times and Antique theatre of II c. in the remnants of the town. In the central part of the town, in the rock, is evident a big-size, three-nave Basilica (second half of VI c.). In the Northern part of a fortified town stands a three-church Basilica of a crown-prince (second half of X c.). Outside of the church there are barrels for donations. When a child was born in a family, wine was poured into a barrel and when a child turned 16, a barrel was brought to a church and left there. One of the entrances of Uplistsikhe was a secret tunnel. It was cut in the rock and is 41-meter long. During a siege the town was supplied with water and foodstuffs using this tunnel.

Kintsvisi monastery is located in 3 km from the village of Kintsvisi, Kareli region, on one of the highlands of the gorge of river Dzama. The monastery complex consists of churches of St. Nicholas, Virgin Mary, St. George, remnants of a fence and a two-level built-in bell tower. It was founded on the edge of XII-XIII centuries by order of the Royal court. The core building of the complex is the center-dome cathedral of St. Nicholas. Painting of Kintsvisi performed in the beginning of XII century on special order of Mtsignobartukhutsesi Anton Glonistavisdze, is outstanding. Here are murals of donators (on the northern wall – Giorgi III, Tamar and Lasha Giorgi, as well as Zaza Tsitsishvili-Panaskerteli, on the western wall – Anton Glonistavisdze with the model of a church in his hand), and religious scenes (on the western wall St. Nicholas, Ioane Zedazneli and David Garejeli are portrayed).
A seriously damaged hall church of Virgin Mary dating XII-XIII centuries is located on the riverside of river Dzama, on the slope.
A small hall church of St. George which stands by the western wall of St. Nicholas cathedral was built in the late feudal times (XVI-XVIII cc.).