Medieval Mutso village in mountainous Georgia brought back to life

Eleven crumbling towers in the picturesque mountainous village Mutso in east Georgia are being restored to their original beauty, says the Government of Georgia.

The country’s Ministry of Culture and the National Agency of Cultural Heritage Protection said vital rehabilitation of the 11 historical constructions in Mutso village - one of the most distinguished mountainous villages in the Dusheti municipality – were due to end later this year, bringing the monuments back to their original state.

"[By the end of 2015] the lower part of the complex will be completely rehabilitated. Both the martial and living apartments should be restored to their original state,” said the Ministry this afternoon.

The towers were constructed in the medieval age and as time passed, the towers were not cared for and began to disintegrate. The village was listed among the most endangered historic monuments of Georgia so a rehabilitation project to restore Mutso village was initiated in 2004. Ten years later – 2014 – practical rehabilitation work started at the site.

As the towers were constructed using ancient, rare methods, the Ministry said a dry method of fixing stones will be applied.

Historical village of Mutso. 

The village is relatively small but was once one of the major strongholds of the historic Georgian mountainous province of Khevsureti, now part of Mtskheta-Mtianeti region. The village is located on a rocky mountain 1880m high on the right bank of the Andakistskali River.

The village, almost completely abandoned more than a century ago, is a home to approximately 30 medieval fortified dwelling units arranged on vertical terraces above the Mutso-Ardoti Gorge, four combat towers and ruins of several old structures and buildings.

Difficult to access, the village retained its original architecture and was a popular destination for tourists and mountain trekkers.

Under the current Government, more intensive rehabilitation works began at Mutso. Last year Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili announced a three-year-project worth several million GEL would begin in 2014 to fully rehabilitate and conserve the area.