Georgian medieval monastery of Parkhali in Turkey set for restoration

Georgian experts will work alongside their Turkish counterparts to restore the medieval monastery of Parkhali, one of the Georgian sites of historic importance found in Turkey’s north-east.

The efforts for restoring and conserving the 10th century monastery will involve a group of restoration experts from the National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation of Georgia and the State Academy of Arts.

Set to commence on Saturday, the work will aim to preserve the monastery built under the reign of Georgia’s King David III Kuropalates prior to 973.

The monument is one of the historical Georgian sites in Turkey’s north-east. Photo: Georgia’s Culture Ministry press office.

Founded by Georgian Orthodox Church historical figure Gregory of Khandzta, the Parkhali was the site where Martyrdom of the Holy Queen Shushanik — one of the oldest Georgian hagiographical novels — was copied to be preserved.

The monument, known locally as Barhal, is located near the village of Altiparmak, in Turkey’s north-east Artvin province.

Its restoration will see the Georgian group study the technical methods used for works on the monument by local professionals.

The visiting team will also supervise and directly participate in the restoration and conservation efforts on the site.

The agreement between the two sides was reached during a visit of the Minister of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia Mikheil Giorgadze in Turkey last week.

Giorgadze visited Georgian historical monuments on the territory of the contemporary Turkey, including monasteries of Oshki, Ishkhani and Otkhta.

The official delegation also involved Georgian experts who assessed the conditions of the monuments and prepared recommendations for their restoration or conservation.

The cooperation between Georgian and Turkish experts follows a high-profile agreement signed between the two countries earlier this year.

The deal involved cooperation on restoring and safeguarding monuments of the Ottoman Empire on the Georgian territory, and Georgian historical sites found in today's Turkey.