Saro and Khizabavra

Saro Village

Saro Village sits on the crossroads between Samtskhe and Javakheti, two historical parts that nowadays are one administrative region.

There is an entire architectural complex in this village where you will see a cyclopean fortress built during the time of the Egyptian pyramids. The fortress is built of massive stone blocks, some uncut, some cut, placed together using dry masonry. Saro’s megaliths, like megalithic culture in general, date back to the 3rd and 2nd millennia BCE.

The fortress is composed of three parts built at different times, with mortar only being used as late as the 12th century.

The Saro Architectural Complex also contains the Archangel Church which dates to the 7th and 8th centuries and was restored in the 19th century.

Khizabavra Village

The history of Khizabavra Village is also very long. While this area was inhabited already 3000 years ago, from the 6th century CE it was one of the most populous villages in the region. It's a pity that now there are only a few families remaining.

In Khizabavra you will see ancient Meskhetian half-underground shelter houses with beautiful wooden ceilings, where the food is prepared in a traditional Meskhetian oven, called purne. 

There are also ancient Meskhetian varieties of grapes from the time of Queen Tamar (12th century) growing on terraces in the village.

Meskheti is the highest mountainous winemaking region in Georgia. Here in Khizabavra the vines grow at a height of 1,590 meters above sea level.

Some of Khizabavra’s residents are Catholic. The Heart of Jesus Catholic Church is located in the village and was built in the 19th century.

The oldest church in the village is Khiza Church.