Georgia’s Mutso heritage site in public vote for Europa Nostra Public Choice Award

Georgia’s highland settlement of Mutso, a recipient of this year’s European Heritage Award for Conservation, could also take the Public Choice Award from the Europa Nostra organisation, with the prize being decided through an online vote.

The tiny village, perched on a mountaintop in the hilly terrain of the north-eastern Khevsureti province, is in the running for the honour among 27 sites and projects across Europe, from the Oratory of the Partal Palace in the Alhambra in Spain to the Digital Archive of the Roma in Germany.

While the award is granted by Europa Nostra, a leading Europe-wide cultural heritage organisation, winners are revealed by the public, with visitors of the awards website picking their three favourites from the selected entries.

Mutso is part of the shortlist after a national project for its rehabilitation, launched in 2014, was unveiled among winners of the Europa Nostra Award for Conservation last month.

Dating back to the 10th century, the fortified settlement served as a strongpoint overlooking roads leading into Georgia throughout centuries.

The harsh climate, the lack of arable land, the poor infrastructure together water shortages led to the depopulation of the village by the middle of the 20th-century.

Through slow deterioration and lack of maintenance, this unique village was set to be lost.” — Europa Nostra.

The 2014-launched initiative for its rehabilitation has been carried out by the National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation of Georgia under the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports and other institutions in the country.

Complicated by the difficulty of access to the high-lying, narrowly built site, the works required local installation of hardware for maintenance works on buildings of the settlement. Locals were also involved in contributing to various stages of the project.

The traditional technique of dry schist masonry, the local knowledge of which was almost completely lost, has been transmitted to locals by Kisti craftsmen from the neighbouring region.

As a result of this capacity-building, the future maintenance of the site has been ensured and the local community empowered to care for their own heritage.” — Europa Nostra.

A summary for the initiative also said families who had left Mutso started to return to the settlement following the improvements to structural stability of centuries-old buildings and provision of infrastructural and communication conditions to the village.

The Europa Nostra jury for the conservation award cited the project’s addressing of the issue of depopulation of mountain settlements and resulting re-engagement of the Mutso community with their location among reasons for honouring the project with the prize.

The online voting for the Public Choice Award will be open through September 15.