The Church of the Assumption is the heart of Vardzia and its best-preserved space. Carved into the rock like everything else here, the church retains its 12th-century frescoes largely intact — a minor miracle given the earthquake of 1283 and the centuries of abandonment that followed. The paintings cover the nave walls with biblical scenes and royal portraits rendered in the rich colours typical of medieval Georgian art.
The figure of Queen Tamar, who commissioned the church, appears in the apse alongside her father George III. These are among the few surviving portraits made during her lifetime and are treated as objects of both religious and historical significance. The church is still in liturgical use; services are held on Sundays and feast days. Visitors are welcome to enter between services, but dress appropriately — a scarf for women, no shorts for either sex.