The steep, 3km, uphill climb off the Artvin–Ardahan road to Hamamlı village is rewarded with some fine vistas across the reservoir lake far below. In the upper part of the village, beside the mosque, the lane ends at the empty shell of a little 10th-century Georgian church. A few partly defaced relief carvings can still be seen amid the patchwork of different stones that make up its variegated walls.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
28.29 MILES
Despite a 30m tower-spire, this laboriously restored ancient church is somewhat hidden amongst trees in Upper İşhan (İşhan Köyü), a green oasis village on…
5.91 MILES
This ruined fortress-citadel is a very dramatic sight, sat impregnably on top of a crag formed by soaring sheer rockfaces that rise from a hilltop on the…
24.69 MILES
The impressively huge frontage of this shattered 10th-century Georgian church stands at the back of a peaceful highland village accessed by a 10km series…
20.51 MILES
Founded by Georgians in the 10th century, this castle ruin retains a fairly well-preserved watch tower and curtain wall guarding a river crossing below…
12.73 MILES
This abandoned ruin of an 11th-century Georgian church is relatively plain but exquisitely sited on a tree-shaded, grassy platform overlooking an emerald…
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Porta (Khandzta) Monastery holds a special place in Georgian history but today it's a severely dilapidated series of ruins in a thickly wooded canyon,…
Nearby attractions
5.91 MILES
This ruined fortress-citadel is a very dramatic sight, sat impregnably on top of a crag formed by soaring sheer rockfaces that rise from a hilltop on the…
8.8 MILES
Porta (Khandzta) Monastery holds a special place in Georgian history but today it's a severely dilapidated series of ruins in a thickly wooded canyon,…
12.73 MILES
This abandoned ruin of an 11th-century Georgian church is relatively plain but exquisitely sited on a tree-shaded, grassy platform overlooking an emerald…
20.51 MILES
Founded by Georgians in the 10th century, this castle ruin retains a fairly well-preserved watch tower and curtain wall guarding a river crossing below…
24.69 MILES
The impressively huge frontage of this shattered 10th-century Georgian church stands at the back of a peaceful highland village accessed by a 10km series…
28.29 MILES
Despite a 30m tower-spire, this laboriously restored ancient church is somewhat hidden amongst trees in Upper İşhan (İşhan Köyü), a green oasis village on…