Restoration works begin in Georgia’s mountain villages

Four Georgian mountain villages popular with tourists and mountain trekkers have been earmarked for major rehabilitation.

Georgia’s Cultural Heritage Protection Agency today presented the long-term projects outlining the proposed rehabilitation plans for four of Georgia’s mountain villages; Mutso, Dartlo, Chazhashi and Vardzia. These four villages are cultural heritage sites.

The project will repair many of the villages’ damaged and destroyed buildings and restore traditional features, such as slate roofs.

Restoration works in Mutso, Dartlo and Chazhashi will be funded by the Government of Georgia, while conservation costs relating to Vardzia, a 12^thCentury cave city in southern Georgia, will be covered by World Bank. It is not yet known the full cost of the renovation works.

Georgia’s Prime Minister attended today’s presentation and said it was the duty of all responsible authorities to save Georgia’s cultural heritage sites and preserve them for future generations.

The Government is well aware of our responsibility for the survival and the preservation of [Georgia’s] cultural heritage. These sites are an integral part of world culture and not only our future generations, but for the whole of mankind. They should be restored as unique ancient culture samples, he said.

Mountains keep most carefully the spirit and genes of Georgians. Recovery of Mutso, Dartlo and Chazhashi will be the beginning of a return to the mountains, Garibashvili added.

Dartlo village is claimed to be one of the most beautiful villages in Tusheti. Situated 2,000 meters above sea level in Alazani River Gorge, it rests on the northern slope of the greater Caucasus mountain range.

Village Dartlo. Photo from dzeglebi.ge

There are three main types of dwellings in Dartlo: traditional, transitional and modern. A traditional lifestyle sees people live in fortress-type houses with anywhere between two and six floors and an attached fortified tower. A transitional style of housing is similar to traditional fortress-houses but often have roofed balconies and additional constructions for storage. This type of dwelling is called ‘Karseani’.

Mutso, a medieval castle town in eastern Georgia, is currently listed among the most endangered historic monuments of Georgia. It is a small village and one of the former strongholds of the historic Georgian province of Khevsureti. It is located on a rocky mountain at a staggering height of 1,880m above sea level.

Mutso. Photo by G. Bedenashvili

While being difficult to access, the village has retained its original architecture and was a popular destination for adventure enthusiasts from all over the globe.

The village was almost completely abandoned more than a century ago but is now home to about 30 medieval fortified homes arranged on vertical terraces above the Mutso-Ardoti Gorge. The village also featured unique architecture including four combat towers and ruins of several ancient structures.

The area has not been maintained in recent years. Architects and historians said the castle town was currently on the edge of destruction. Each winter small portions of the ancient structures crumbled and fell.

A project to rehabilitate Mutso was developed in 2004. Despite this intention, the site continued to deteriorate although it was recognised as one of Georgia’s most endangered historic monuments and in need of urgent help.

Legends claimed Mutso villagers were renowned as fighters and hunters who considered themselves permanent members of the Army of the Sacred Flags and guardians of an immense treasure donated to the Icon over the centuries. Legends said the treasure remained high in the mountains around Mutso and would be discovered by "the chosen one”.

Meanwhile the Cultural Heritage Protection Agency said Chazhashi village in Georgia’s Upper Svaneti region would undergo a major transformation to rejuvenate the "lifeless village”.

The village, which boasted unique landscape and medieval architecture, was inscribed on the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites in 1996.

In 1970 the old part of Mestia was designated as a reserve and one year later, the same declaration was offered to the Ushgul-Chazhashi area.

The Agency said renovation works at Chazhashi village had been separated into numerous phases. The first phase would include rehabilitation of Ushguli Museum and upgrading its infrastructure and facilities.

Ushguli. Photo by Mamuka Burduli.

The Cultural Heritage Protection Agency and National Museum of Georgia jointly decided a new museum and visitor center would be established in Chazhashi.

UNESCO experts are set to arrive in Georgia in September following an invitation by the Cultural Heritage Protection Agency. With Georgian experts, the group will examine the current state of Chazhashi village, which many said was in a precarious condition.

In Chazhashi village, which has been preserved as a Museum-Reserve, more than 400 homes and 200 stone towers have survived.