Gelati Monastery Complex Undergoes Second Stage of Rehabilitation
By Mariam Chanishvili
Friday, December 22
A second stage of rehabilitation of Gelati Monastery Complex will be implemented with the support of World Bank (WB). The funding amounts to GEL 1.5 million.
The Municipal Development Fund of Georgia has already announced the international tender for the rehabilitation. The winning company must complete a rehabilitation process in about 8 months.
WB’s Second Regional Development Project aims at integrated revitalization of the cultural heritage site in Gelati Monastery.
Gelati Monastery is located in West Georgia, Imereti Region, 12 km east of the city Kutaisi and 253 km west from Tbilisi. Access to the site is possible via Tbilisi-Kutaisi Highway.
The architectural complex of the Gelati Monastery and Academy in central Georgia is one of the country's most treasured religious and cultural landmarks. King David the Builder began constructing the monastery and academy in 1106 as a grand tribute to his victory over the Turks.
The academy was one of the first institutions of higher education founded in the middle ages, and it became a principal cultural center in Georgia. Although, the academy ceased to function in the late Middle Ages—after which it was converted into a refectory—the monastery remains in use. For centuries the monastery complex was significantly damaged due to natural disasters and wars.
Today, Gelati Monastery Complex remains as one of the most important cultural heritages of Georgia. In 2010, Gelati Monastery was inscribed in UNESCO's List of World Heritage in Danger and later, removed. In July 2017, at the 41st UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting in Krakow, Poland, one of Georgia's most important historical monuments was returned to the global index.
