Presidential Fund to Fix Fire-Damage in Ancient Vardzia Cave City

Georgia’s President, Giorgi Margvelashvili has stated that the Presidential Fund is to allocate finances for restorative works of unique wall paintings in Vardzia cave city, which were damaged due to a fire around a week ago.

A group of experts evaluated the situation and decided that the paintings could be restored but the process would be very long and very complicated.

The restoration works are scheduled from 2017 and the finances from the Presidential Fund will be spent on conservation of the paintings.

Vardzia, located in South Georgia, is a 12-13th century cave complex featuring hundreds of rooms and passageways connecting caves carved into rock formations.

The fire broke out at the Saint Mary church located inside one of the caves on November 1 and left the unique wall paintings covered in soot.

The exact cause of the fire is unknown. However, the Head of the National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation of Georgia, Nikoloz Antidze stated it was allegedly a lit candle that caused the fire.

Such damage of a cultural heritage site would normally incur sanctions, but as it is under the ownership and responsibility of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church, no sanctions will be applied. This regulation affects heritage sites under the ownership of any religious community.

President Margvelashvili noted that the state policy towards cultural heritage preservation needs to be changed. He said that it should be defined how the State and the Patriarchate of Georgia share responsibilities for protection of cultural sites.

“The State should be given an opportunity to protect its cultural heritage properly,” the President stated.

Vardzia is a cave monastery city in southern Georgia, excavated from the slopes of the Erusheti Mountain on the left bank of the river Mtkvari, thirty kilometers from the town of Aspindza, Samtskhe-Javakheti region.

At present the damaged part of the complex is closed to tourists and visitors. However, the other parts of the monastery are open as usual.

Thea Morrison