Conservation plan for 12th Century Georgian cave city
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Georgia has started working on a conservation plan to preserve a 12th Century cave city in southern Georgia.
Minister of Culture Guram Odisharia and National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation general director Nika Antidze will officially open the Vardzia seminar tomorrow at the Vardzia museum-reserve.
The three-day international seminar is organised by the National Agency of Cultural Heritage Preservation with support from the Ministry of Culture.
"The main aim of the Cultural Heritage Protection Agency is to stop rock falling from the unique cave complex and prolong the life of the monument,” Odisharia said.
"Uniting Georgian field specialists and creating a conservation document, which is non-existent at the present time, is very important for the survival of Vardzia. This document will become a perquisite for preparing a Vardzia management plan.”
One of the guests of the seminar is Claudio Margotinni - head of the Italian Geological Research Department, a UNESCO consultant and vice president of the International Consortium on Landslides.
Several presentations will be held throughout the working day.
Vardzia - cave monastery ensemble in south Georgia. Photo by National Tourism Agency
Four Georgian mountain villages popular with tourists and mountain trekkers have been earmarked for major rehabilitation.
Georgia’s unique Vardzia cave city can now host visitors at night thanks to a new lighting system installed as part of the area’s renovation.
Vardzia - a 12th Century cave city in southern Georgia is a historic monument that is being preserved through a Government-funded restoration project.
Navenakhevi Cave located in the Terjola region of western Georgia has been reopened on 25 November with the support of the Agency of Protected Areas and Terjola City Hall.
Georgia’s ancient cave city Vardzia is reaching the final phase of restoration to bring the historic monument back to life.