David Gareja monastery

David (or Davit) Gareja (დავითგარეჯის სამონასტრო კომპლექსი in Georgian) is a Georgian Orthodox monastery complex partly carved into the rock, located about 70km southeast of Tbilisi, on the border to Azerbaijan. The complex comprises 15 monasteries spread over a large area, of which only two (Lavra and Udabno) are usually visited by tourists. Over the centuries monks created hundreds of living quarters in the rock face. The monastery complex was originally founded in the 6th century by St David Garejeli, an Assyrian monk. The last km of the road leading to David Gareja are a bad dirt track. The complex itself is in a dry, desertlike part of Georgia.