Georgia: The rehabilitation works of the Galavan and the yard of Ghudushauri Prison in village Sno of Kazbegi Municipality have been completed with funding from the National Agency for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Georgia.
The results of the works were found out by Nikoloz Aznaurashvili, Director of the National Agency for Protection of Cultural Heritage of Georgia, David Nozadze, the Commissioner of the State in Mtskheta-Mtianeti, the Mayor of Kazbegi Municipality Bakur Avsajanishvili, Chairman of the City Council of Kazbegi David Kirikashvili, the architect-restaurators of the Agency Nikoloz Zazunishvili and Lasha Shartava.
Rehabilitation works included clearing the area of soil and natural debris, repairing a collapsed wall to the northeast, and fixing a damaged galvanized fragment to the southeast. Under the supervision of architects-restorers and constructors, the paving stones on the galvanic surface and the seams between the walls were removed; the outside lighting system of the prison was also renovated; and the metal staircase and footpaths were made.
Due to heavy rainfall in May 2022, the northern part of the Ghudushauri (SNO) Prison’s rocky Bortsvi, on which the prison’s galavan wall was founded, collapsed. The project documentation, which was positively evaluated by the Levan Samkharauli National Bureau of Forensic Expertise, was received by the agency in February 2024, after which an electronic tender was announced to purchase the works.
The winning company, A(A)IP “Historical Monument Rehabilitation Center,” performed rehabilitation works based on the contract signed on April 11, 2024. The agency allocated 208 302 GEL for the statue’s rehabilitation.
The statue was granted the status of Cultural Heritage on November 4, 2010. Ghudushauri Castle is on the right bank of the Sno water, and natural black rock is built on the cliff. The yard bordered by Galavan has a plan similar to a circle. To the north of the yard, at the highest point, is the only tower raised, partially engulfed in the bottomless galavan dumped on complex relief.
The tower wall arrangement is mainly rectangular and has angular loads, which is characteristic of advanced medieval defensive buildings.
