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Unesco is requesting an immediate halt of construction work on the Bagrati Cathedral. This is stated on Unesco World Heritage’s website.
According to their statement, session 34 of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, held in Brazil, put Kutaisi Bagrati Cathedral and the Gelati Monastry Complex on a list of “Endangered Historical Monuments’’.
“The committee expressed deep concern about the reconstruction of Bagrati Cathedral. The Committee believes it’s necessary to alter the reconstruction method and asks to immediately stop the current work,’’ stated the committee.
It’s also notified, that Bagrati Cathedral was built in the 10-11th centuries, and Gelati from the 12-17th. The Gelati Complex has a wonderful mosaic and wall paintings and both monuments are wonderful models of prosperous medieval architecture.
The World Heritage Committee’s 34th Session began in Brasilia, Brazil’s capital, on July 25 and will extend to August 3. Various topics are being discussed in the conference including world natural and cultural heritage site conservation. The session is being attended by the director of the Georgian Cultural Heritage National Agency, Nika Vacheishvili, and the Ambassador of Georgia to UNESCO, Mamuka Kudava. One of the specific topics for the committee was the conservation of Bagrati Cathedral and Gelati Monastry.
Bagrati Cathedral is marked under the 4th criteria in the list of UNESCO (“the wonderful models of medieval arcitecture”). UNESCO also remarked that the reconstruction of the Cathedral conflicts with its status, for this reason the Cathedral should be put in the list of “endangered monuments.”
Representatives for Georgia explained that the monuments represent the unity of Georgia and its restoration is supported both by the government and the Georgian Church. Additionally, the Georgia is eager to collaborate with UNESCO and international experts concerning the projects.
Georgia, in agreement with the UNESCO World Heritage Center, expressed its sincere desire and readiness to conduct the restoration of Bagrati and Gelati Monastries with more precise standards.