The condition of the main church at Gelati Monastery is stable thanks to the joint efforts of the Georgian Orthodox Church, the state, international experts and Georgian specialists, Culture Minister Maia Bitadze has announced. She was briefed on the progress of rehabilitation works by Father Kirion, Deputy Chairman of the Temporary Committee for the Rehabilitation of Gelati.
According to Bitadze, the gradual restoration of the UNESCO World Heritage Site is ongoing, funded by the state and carried out with the authorization of the National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation of Georgia. The works follow a holistic conservation plan developed by international experts in line with recommendations from UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre and its advisory bodies.
“Our main goal is to ensure that Gelati Monastery, a symbol of our country's unity, faith and national identity, has a future that will last for centuries,” Bitadze said, thanking the temporary committee and Father Kirion for taking responsibility for the restoration process.
In 2023, following unsatisfactory results from previous restoration works and concerns over the site's critical condition, management of the rehabilitation process was transferred to the Georgian Orthodox Church. The work is now overseen by the Temporary Committee for the Rehabilitation of Gelati, supported by national scientific and international advisory councils.
