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| Experts assessed the condition of the frescoes in the Gelati Monastery as catastrophic |
| 2023-07-17 |
| Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. [KavkazUzel] The temple in Gelati is in critical condition, it is necessary to urgently solve problems with the roof, the restorers said after studying the situation in the temple. The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on January 31, experts from the National Center for the History of Georgian Art and the Protection of Monuments stated that the problems of restoring the Gelati Monastery are not being solved , and the measures taken are not helping. The Ministry of Culture of Georgia does not involve scientists in cooperation, they noted. The Gelati Monastery of the Mother of God near Kutaisi is the most significant medieval monastery in Georgia, the center of church and cultural life, the residence of the Catholicos from the second half of the 16th century until 1814, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994. The Church of the Mother of God was built before 1125 and for another five years it was decorated with Byzantine-style mosaics, which are considered the best in the South Caucasus, Novosti-Georgia informs. In the XIII century, the churches of St. Nicholas and St. George, as well as a three-tiered belfry, were added to the monastery ensemble. Murals belong to different periods of Georgian history, from the 12th to the 18th centuries; portrait images of crowned persons are especially noteworthy. Previously, many valuable icons and objects of applied art were preserved in the monastery; in Soviet times they were confiscated and distributed among museums. Inspection work on the restoration of the Gelati monastery complex has been completed. Georgian and foreign experts at a press conference spoke about the state of the unique frescoes. The condition of the temple is critical, the main reason being dampness in the building, said Liza Shekeda, a restorer of wall paintings. “The question is how to protect the roofing system. This is a very large scale project. This also includes the involvement of architects who are trying to find a temporary solution to protect the murals and develop a roofing system for the long term,” Lisa Shekede said on the air of the Public Broadcaster, which was watched by the correspondent of the “Caucasian Knot”. Problems with wall paintings in Gelati are very serious, noted independent expert, wall painting restorer Stephen Rickerby. “In Gelati, there are problems with both the roof and wall paintings, mosaics, but we are sure that all this will be corrected. Everyone unanimously says that Gelati belongs not only to Georgia, Gelati is a world heritage. For us, Gelati is the most important thing that we have, it is our main identity,” said David Lordkipanidze, director of the National Scientific Council for the Rehabilitation of Gelati. The main problem of the Gelati Cathedral is the state of the wall paintings. We have invited world-famous specialists who will arrive in Georgia. They will study the current situation and give us the first recommendations on what conservation approaches we should use,” said the Regent, Metropolitan of Senaki and Chkhorotsku Shio (Mujiri) during his speech at the presentation of the Gelati rehabilitation process, Interpressnews reports. Recall that in March 2020, defects were found on the tiled roof of the main church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Gelati monastery complex near Kutaisi. Rainwater began to penetrate into the temple and damage the unique frescoes of the 12th, 14th and 16th centuries. In order to save the tiled roof, work began on it, the roof was temporarily covered with tin. In January 2022, part of the roof of the monastery complex collapsed after a heavy snowfall. The monument of cultural heritage is in a deplorable state, the water can damage the old frescoes, experts said. Two companies were fined and suspended from further reconstruction of the building, and a third company was involved in the work. The UNESCO expert linked the damage to ancient frescoes with improper restoration of the roof. In October 2022, the Minister of Culture announced that due to rainwater seeping through the incorrectly restored roof in the Gelati Monastery, a 12th-century mosaic with the face of the Mother of God began to collapse. At the end of November 2022, activists held a protest demanding to save the monastery. |
| Posted by:badanov |