The Minister of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia Mikheil Giorgadze visited National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation and held meeting with the collaborators of the agency. The chief of the National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation Nikoloz Antidze hosted the Minister, reports GHN.
On the meeting the Minister underlined the large scale projects that are implemented in the sphere of cultural heritage, between them there was marked 4 year project for saving Vardjia complex that is implemented with the initiative of the Prime Minister Irakli Garibasvhili by the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection and National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation. The decision to allocate 570 000 lari from state reserve fund was made by the government of Georgia on September 5. With the imitative of the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection and National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation there has begun 4 year project for saving unique rock carved complex. The first stage of the project considers multidisciplinary studies.
There will be created maps of damages and rockfall risks. As a result of specific rescue measures will be reduced flow of water masses and will be reduced rockfall risks; after these measures there will be eliminated risks of destruction of fragments of the complex and it will be safe for visitors and personnel.
The research works will be managed by the Professor Claudio Mergotini, the chief of Geological Research Department of Italy, consultant of UNESCO, Vice-President of the International Consortium of Landslides of Koioto University of Japan. Under his coordination there will be invited international experts for the following works:
• Creation of maps of damages and rockfall risks;
• Methodological consultations of emergency rescue procedures implementation and providing with physical works together with Georgian specialists (consolidation of 2 rocks);
• Implementation of training course for Georgian specialists to process data of inteferometric radar that is installed in Vardzia;
• Implementation of training course for Georgian specialists of internationally implemented methodology to strengthen the rock;
In the frame of the project there is planned arrangement of infrastructure of Vardzia and rehabilitation of damaged water drain channels and protective walls.
There will be arranged infrastructure to provide with safety for visitors of the complex- there will be arranged sidewalks, paths, gates, fences, railings, stairs and lighting of the complex.
In rehabilitation works there will be involved Georgian young specialists that will raise their qualification.