Construction of Gelati Monastery

Gelati Monastery is a medieval monastic complex near Kutaisi in western Georgia, founded by King David IV the Builder, who led Georgia's golden age and defeated the Seljuks. He intended it to be a religious, cultural and scientific centre, and he created an academy there that became known as a new Athens and attracted scholars. The main church, dedicated to the Virgin, has a celebrated mosaic in its apse and wall paintings from later centuries. David IV was buried at the monastery's gate, so that those entering would walk over his tomb. Gelati was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994, and has been under threat from deterioration of its buildings.

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