Rehabilitation and conservation works are continuing in Gelati, with another group of international specialists present in the temple.
The specialists spoke about the initial conclusion of the situation in the interior space. They claimed that 21 critical centers have been identified, which will be conserved. At the same time, restoration works will begin.
According to the members of the Gelati temporary rehabilitation committee, it is still impossible to say what part of the damaged paintings and mosaics will be saved.
In addition, roofing works will continue and temporary roofing will be arranged. The works will be completed by the end of the year.
Rehabilitation works in Gelati are organized by the Patriarchate. The temporary committee was established last year and includes national and international councils.
Gelati is a medieval monastic complex near Kutaisi in the Imereti region of western Georgia. One of the first monasteries in Georgia, it was founded in 1106 by King David IV of Georgia as a monastic and educational center.
The monastery is an exemplar of the Georgian Golden Age and a gold aesthetic is employed in the paintings and buildings. It was built to celebrate Orthodox Christian faith in Georgia. Some murals found inside the Gelati Monastery church date back to the 12th century. The monastery was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 because of its outstanding architecture and its importance as an educational and scientific center in medieval Georgia.