Gelati Monastery

Gelati Monastery
გელათის მონასტერი
Gelati Monastery; გელათის მონასტერი
	The monastic complex of Gelati
	Shown within Georgia (country)
Basic information
Location	Kutaisi, Imereti Province (Mkhare), Georgia
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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
	UNESCO World Heritage Site
	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".^{[citation needed]}

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

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Gallery

Mother of God, mosaic fresco
Archangel Michael, mosaic fresco
The Ascension, mural
David IV of Georgia, mural
Icon of St. George in front of the iconostasis
Gelati monastery, church of Virgin Mary the Blessed. Mural of Christ Pantokrator on ceiling of the central dome (12th century)
Gelati monastery, Church of Virgin the Blessed, mosaic and mural in the apse depicting Theotokos, Archangels Michael and Gabriel. Arc de Triomphe
Gelati monastery, Church of Virgin the Blessed. Mural on north wall. From left to right: Queen Rusudan, Prince Bagrat, King George II, Queen Helen, King Bagrat III of Imereti, Catholicos Yevdemon Chetidze, David the Builder
Gelati monastery. Church of Virgin the Blessed. Mural.
Shrine in the monastery church
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