Georgia: The painting conservation works of Pitareti Monastery in Tetritskaro municipality have been completed. This year, emergency conservation works continued on the painting of the monastery’s south and west arms.
In the Cathedral, the painting was lightly cleaned, the damaged chemicals were replaced with new ones, the paint layer was hardened, the drainage cracks were removed, and several clambers on the south and west arms were corrected.
Also, it should be noted that with the direct participation of specialists, several tombstones from the bones of Kaflanishvili-Orbelianta in the monastery of the Virgin of Fitareti, were preserved.
Wall painting specialists at the National Agency for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Georgia did the work.
For information: In 2023, in the interior of Pitareti Monastery in Tetritskaro Municipality, unstable types of breakage appeared on the drainage layer, which caused the drainage to fall. Also, in separate sections, the painting layer was removed. There were large cracks on the wet layer; therefore, timely intervention of specialists became necessary.
Emergency conservation works for the Pitareti Monastery wall painting started in 2023, and the same type of work will be carried out within it in 2024. Only in this case were emergency conservation works carried out on the painting of the church sanctuary, the north arm, and the dome.
The cross-dome church of the Virgin of Fitareti is a monument of national importance and cultural heritage. It was built between 1213 and 1222 during the reign of Lasha-George. The decor on the garbage facades is done with high artistic craftsmanship.
The interior walls of the temple are completely covered with paintings divided into registers from the late Middle Ages (XVII s. ). Lapidary inscriptions are also saved.
According to historical documents, Pitareti Monastery was Baratashvili’s property. The dispute between Kaflan, Paata, and Papuna Baratashvili, which started because of the monastery, ended in favor of Kaflan. As a result, Kaflan’s descendants of Kaflanishvili-Orbeliani were buried in the Sadzvale in Pitareti Monastery. Several tombstones protected in the interior of the temple have inscriptions of historical importance.
Among Pitareti’s lapidary inscriptions is the reddish-colored stone, described with a beautiful alphabetic curve; Askwtime Takaishvili suggests it must be the resting place of Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani’s father, Vakhtang.
