Gelati Monastery

Gelati Monastery
გელათის მონასტერი

The monastic complex of Gelati
Shown within Georgia (country)
Basic information
Location Kutaisi, Imereti Province (Mkhare), Georgia
Geographic coordinates 42°17′50″N 42°45′40″E / 42.2972°N 42.7611°ECoordinates: 42°17′50″N 42°45′40″E / 42.2972°N 42.7611°E
Affiliation Georgian Orthodox Church
Region Caucasus
Architectural description
Architectural type Georgian; Monastery
Founder David IV of Georgia ("David the Builder")
Completed Church of the Virgin, 1106;
Churches of St. George and St. Nicholas, 13th century
Official name: Bagrati Cathedral and Gelati Monastery
Type Cultural
Criteria iv
Designated 1994 (18th session)
Reference no. 710
Region Europe
Endangered 2010–present

Gelati (Georgian: გელათის მონასტერი) is a monastic complex near Kutaisi, Imereti, western Georgia. It contains the Church of the Virgin founded by the King of Georgia David the Builder in 1106, and the 13th-century churches of St George and St Nicholas.

The Gelati Monastery for a long time was one of the main cultural and intellectual centers in Georgia. It had an Academy which employed some of the most celebrated Georgian scientists, theologians and philosophers, many of whom had previously been active at various orthodox monasteries abroad, one of which was the Mangana Monastery in Constantinople. Among the scientists were such celebrated scholars as Ioane Petritsi and Arsen Ikaltoeli.

Due to the extensive work carried out by the Gelati Academy, people of the time called it "a new Hellas" and "a second Athos".

The Gelati Monastery has preserved a great number of murals and manuscripts dating back to the 12th to 17th centuries. The Khakhuli triptych was enshrined at Gelati until being stolen in 1859.

In Gelati is buried one of the greatest Georgian kings, David the Builder. Near his grave are the gates of Ganja, which were taken as trophies by king Demetrius I in 1138.

In 1994, Gelati Monastery was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The site was included in the 2008 World Monuments Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites by the World Monuments Fund to draw attention to deterioration caused by prolonged neglect.[1]

Burials

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Gallery

See also

References

  1. ↑ 2008 World Monuments Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites: Gelati Monastery and Academy

External links

Adapted from the Wikinfo article Gelati Monastery by Levan Urushadze, licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gelati Monastery.