ソビエトと現代ジョージアにおける宗教的遺産の保存および復元
バグラティ大聖堂の例に基づいてPreservation, Restoration and Use of Religious Monuments in Soviet and Contemporary Georgia:
research based on the case of Bagrati Cathedral

メラゼ・タマル
Meladze Tamar
１．Introduction
The idea of undertaking this research was triggered byit was roofless and dome-less, but not entirely a ruin.

an event that took place in 2017, although the ground

Its walls, porticos, and decorative elements had been

had been prepared long ago: after years of local andmeticulously restored for years, under the strict

international scale debates over its values andconservation principles that Georgian restorers

authenticity, an 11th-century masterpiece of Georgian

practiced under the Soviet rule. Indeed, there had been

ecclesiastical architecture and a very powerful national

severaland religious symbol—Bagrati Cathedral, wasarchitectural image of the monument, but demolishedexcluded from the World Heritage List due to its

some three centuries ago, it did not provide solid

modern, full-scale reconstruction. The World Heritage

documental evidence. Moreover, due to theCommittee concluded that although intended for its

dominating ideological scene in the country whichfunctional continuity and liturgical requirements,

prohibited religious expressions, the Cathedral wasreconstruction destroyed much of the cathedral’s

never fully rebuilt (fig.1). Not until 2008, whenauthentic substance and craftsmanship present in thealready in independent Georgia, a full-scaleruin, as well as its spirit and the “breath of history,” andreconstruction plan for the monument was announced

it no longer possessed the values required for carrying

and, despite the conflictive process putting the Worldthe World Heritage title.

Heritage status of the monument under the risk,

Bagrati Cathedral is a rare example of a World

attempts

toascertain

thecomplete

executed (fig.2).

Heritage Site whose status had been revoked becauseof its reconstruction, and in many ways a special casein regard to internationally recognized conservation
and restoration principles which clashed with the local
politics and aspirations, religious manifestations, andapproaches to church architecture —ruined or intact.
At the same time, Bagrati Cathedral (or rather its
World Heritage status) can be viewed as a “victim” ofbroader socio-political and religious processes thathave been shaping Georgian nationhood for the last
couple of decades.
In 1994, when the Cathedral entered a World
Heritage List as a serial property under the criteria iv,

学位論文梗概集 2021

Figure 1. Half-restored Bagrati Cathedral as it entered the World
Heritage List in 1994.

The fact that despite long-term restoration works

authorities, international and local heritage experts,

performed in Soviet years, the idea to place a dome on

and brought into question some of the well-establishedBagrati Cathedral was only realized recently, highlights

frameworks of heritage reconstruction and its relation

the contrast in the approaches to heritage preservation

to authenticity and integrity of the architectural

between the two periods. During the communist

heritage.

regime, isolated and under ideological pressure,anastylosis and faithful restorations dominated the fullscale reconstructions. A strictly material-based heritage
politics went hand in hand with the Venice Charter byplacing emphasis on original architectural elements,but

removedtheassociativeandfunctionalconnotations from the sacred monuments andnarrowed the scope of heritage preservation down tosolving the architectural and engineering issues.
After the collapse of communism and especiallyfrom the early 2000s, with the arrival of the westerneducated government and gradual empowerment of theOrthodox Church, Georgia found itself in a chaotic
transitional process, in search of identity, trying to wash

Figure 2. Conflicts over structural changes and compromised
authenticity led to revoking Cathedral’s World Heritage status
in 2017

２．Research Aims

down the Soviet imprints and present itself as a modern

Employing Bagrati Cathedral as a case study andand progressive country. In the processes of nation-putting it in the center of the longer historical narrativebuilding, the role of cultural heritage proved to beof heritage restoration in Georgia, this research aims to:paramount. In all former Soviet republics, heritage

1. Study the historical development of Georgia’s

became one of the main actors in asserting theirarchitectural heritage preservation from theuniqueness and individuality, after emerging from theemergence of the scientific principles of

USSR’s ideologically acceptable versions of therestoration in the first half of the twentiethcommon past, present, and future. Churches andcentury —which falls on the Soviet regime in themonasteries were no longer seen as mere architecturalcountry, up to the years of independence (fromphenomena and the prime concern became re-1991 onward) and modern days. Bagrati

establishing their once oppressed religious andCathedral’s case is brought to carry out a multi-functional values.

layer historical analysis and comparison between

Accommodating multiple interpretations of thecommunist and capitalist conceptualizations ofpast, however, proved to be difficult for Georgia

heritage, religious-versus-secular approaches,

amidst transition. Accepting the modified approaches

and the methods of restoration.

to preservation of particularly World Heritage Sites by

2. Since the issues related to the reconstruction andthe country turned out to be challenging forremoval of Bagrati Cathedral from the WorldICOMOS/UNESCO as well. Bagrati Cathedral’s

Heritage List exceed the local problematics, thisstory pointed at the significant differences ofresearch also aims to address the questions ofperception and values between the civil and Church

authenticity —as understood in contemporary
Summaries of Academic Theses 2021

conservation principles, as well as the issues ofof the first restorations and unusual transformations ofreconstructing the “sacred ruins” in Georgian andthe sacred heritage under the Imperial Russian rule in

the World Heritage context.

the country, are also analyzed. The chapter shows thatin pre-Soviet years Georgia, Bagrati Cathedral was stillin a completely ruinous state, with its walls barely

3．Methodology and Design
This research provides a comparative analysis ofreligious heritage preservation in Soviet and postSoviet

years,

utilizingBagrati

Cathedral’sreconstruction as a case study to acquire a broader
picture of heritage-related decision-making in Georgia.
The study relies heavily on primary data gathered
through the content analyses of Soviet andcontemporary periodicals, UNESCO and ICOMOS
documents, expert mission reports, and interviews withthe representatives of the National Agency for Cultural
Heritage Preservation of Georgia. Thesis also uses thearchival and library material of theoretical andcontributory publications, including the reports ofrestoration works,drawings,and photographs.

Reviews of publications reveal interesting details of thecontradictions in heritage management in different
periods and the inconsistency in the approaches.
The thesis is structured into seven chapters, witheach chapter describing the particular period in Bagrati
Cathedral’s story in relation to the corresponding sociopolitical background of the country, heritage perception,and dominating methods of restoration.
The first chapter is introduction; the justificationand originality of this research, its questions, andobjectives are outlined. Chapter two aims to create abase and general understanding of what makes up a
Georgian cultural heritage and the role of the churcharchitecture in it. The typology, building materials andconstruction techniques of the two main types ofchurches are given, along with the architecturaldescription of Bagrati Cathedral, and its place inGeorgian ecclesiastical architecture. A broad analysis

学位論文梗概集 2021

standing and covered with vegetation. Yet, local clergy
and believers tried utilize it for the religious services bytransforming the sections of the building into smallchapel. The drawings, which illustrate the attempts ofimagining its complete architectural form, emerge inthe early 20th century, but the cathedral remained a ruin
until the arrival of the Soviet government. Chapter
three shifts focus on describing the heritage politics
under communism in Georgian SSR and sets to explore
the establishment of scientific principles of restoration.
Several examples are brought to show how thereligious architecture—which have always been
dominating over the other types of monuments both innumber and significance, were protected legally andconserved in practice under ideological pressure andprohibition of their symbolism and intangible
connotations. This period in the heritage conservation
history of Georgia was full of paradoxes: monuments
were deprived of their functions and ideologicallyabused while meticulously repaired and restored as thearchitectural masterpieces and “people’s materialculture.” Restorations were based on solid research,
employing anastylosis, and the traditional building
techniques of Georgian ecclesiastical architecture(discussed examples include Samtsevrisi (7th-c.),Anchiskhati (6th-c.) and Tsromi (7th-c.) churches).
Soviet period art historians and restorers rejected theidea of complete reconstructions based on conjecture,
although advocated the reversible interventions andadaptive transformation of the houses of worship into
museums, clubs, theaters, and storehouses. Soviet
years and especially the period after the Second WorldWar, saw the first methodological conservation ofBagrati Cathedral as well. It was partially rebuilt usingthe fallen stones and consolidated using the reinforced

methods by Georgian and foreigner architects, and theconcrete, where necessary. Rebuilding the roof and thereasons behind the controversy are discussed based ondome of the monument, however, was not discussed on

the legal documents, UNESCO documentations, andthe grounds of insufficient evidence. Following thethe published responses from the State Party Georgia.

principles of Venice Charter and sharing the view that

It is argued that the contradictory viewpoints on the“restoration must stop where conjecture begins,”monument’s fundamental values and uses, led to thereconstructing the ruin was ruled out from theconflict. Moreover, this mismatch between therestoration practice. Besides, amidst the anti-religious

interpretations (Bagrati as a ruin and Bagrati as a living

agitation and deprivation of its religious function, thechurch) contributed to developing the opposing

monumental ruin of the once monumental cathedral

opinions on the method of reconstruction favored byprovided much more spectacular and attractive image

each stakeholder, respectively. The impossibility offor the visitors.

finding the compromise and balance between these

The adverse impact of Soviet politics, which

values, however, highlights the flaws of thecaused the suppression of symbolic values ofcontemporary heritage preservation system in Georgia,

ecclesiastical heritage, was revealed especially heavily

as well as the inconsistencies (especially theafter the collapse of the communist regime. Chapter

ambiguous concept of authenticity and limits offour of the thesis analyses the changes in heritage

reconstruction) in the World Heritage system. Bagrati

preservation felt after breaking away from the USSR.

Cathedral’s case illustrates how political or religious

The decision on Bagrati Cathedral’s full-scale

imperatives and changing socio-ideological contexts

reconstruction was made soon after the newover time each have a considerable impact on thegovernment took power and pushed the series ofdecisions over heritage preservation.

reforms aiming to discard the Soviet system, reverse

Chapter six of the thesis summarizes thethe decade of corruption and ineptitude, and reclaim thehistorical narrative and returns to the questions posed

place in the mainstream of European history. Thisin the opening section. Some personal viewpoints onreconstruction carried a massive symbolic message andBagrati Cathedral’s reconstruction and delisting are

was intended to promote the country’s reunification,

also proposed. The subject of reconstructing a World

demonstrate the power of the newly elected

Heritage Site and still fitting inside the requirements ofgovernment, and the revival of Orthodox belief. The

the international conservation principles is discussed

UNESCO’s warning could not contest this enthusiasm

by drawing parallels with other reconstructedthat reconstruing the ruin would cause the loss of its

monuments in the World Heritage List. The issues ofvalues and authenticity and lead to its removal from theBagrati Cathedral’s authenticity is discussed from bothWorld Heritage List.

local and international perspectives.

Chapter five sets to explore the underlying

Chapter seven presents a concluding part of thisreasons for the conflict between UNESCO and Georgia

thesis, and based on the lessons learned from Bagrati

around Bagrati Cathedral, and seeks to answer why theCathedral’s story, several viewpoints concerning theparties failed to restore the functional use of theissues and possible solutions of religious heritage

monument while retaining its World Heritage

preservation in Georgian reality (and in the World

worthiness. The step-by-step decisions, contradictory

Heritage context) are proposed to two mainand opposing ideas of the stakeholders, restoration

stakeholders at the main decisional level—State Party

Summaries of Academic Theses 2021

Georgia and UNESCO/ICOMOS.

various socio-economic and political aspects and it has
to be a democratic right of all individuals concerned todecide which past to remember and restore.

3．Conclusion and Final Thoughts
General conclusions of this research can be formulated

References

as follows:
Restoration and reconstruction of religious monuments

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are not new or alien to Georgian tradition. Whether for
functionalcontinuity

orarchitecturalinterests,

Bruno, Andrea. 2013. “Cattedrale di Bagrati a Kutaisi in2)

Cameron, Christina, and Mallory Wilson, eds. 2016.
Proceedings of the Round Table “From Conservation torebuilding was always given priority. Soviet years

Reconstruction: How World Heritage Is Changing Theory

marked the beginnings of scientific architecturaland Practice.” Canada Research Chair on Built Heritage,conservation in the country. Monuments wereFaculty of Environmental Design, Université de Montréal,

meticulously restored, but heritage preservation was

Canada, 9–10 March.

narrowed down to solving the architectural and3)

Bagrati Cathedral.” Ancient Art Today 1: 94–104.

engineering issues and dismissed the sacred, intangible
values of religious buildings. In independent Georgia,

4)

edition. Tbilisi: National Agency for Cultural Heritageemphasis on the religious use and integrity of general
withreconstruction,often

accompaniedbyJokilehto, Jukka. 2012. Rehabilitation Strategy for the
Site of Bagrati Cathedral, Kutaisi, Georgia. Second

the approach took a radical shift in putting more
image over the authenticity of materials. The obsession

Chanishvili, Gia. 2010. “Regarding the Reconstruction ofPreservation of Georgia.

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WHC. 2010. “Joint UNESCO (WHC)/ICOMOS Expert
Mission Report, Historical Monuments of Mtskheta andauthoritative and non-transparent decision-making, has

Bagrati Cathedral and Gelati Monastery (Georgia).”

an apparent ideological footing and is a well-known

Thirty-fourth session Brasilia, Brazil.

phenomenon for the countries liberated from longoccupation and struggling in the process of nationbuilding. Bagrati Cathedral fits in this story as witnessof its own changes as well as significant periods ofshifting

political

ideologies

andculturaltransformations in the country. Its’ reconstruction —asa tool to deal with the traumatic experiences —was aforeseeable development for post-Soviet Georgian
heritage politics. However, its deletion from the World
Heritage List, as argued in this thesis, is a result ofGeorgia’s belated ill-attempt to heal the Soviet scars
and UNESCO’s reluctance to cooperate with it.
More than anything else, however, Bagrati Cathedrals’
story demonstrates that although there is no absolute
principle or golden rule on how to treat the ruined
religious monuments, reconstruction is never a mere
physical act but a multifaceted process, encompassing

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WHC. 2018. Joint UNESCO World Heritage Centre /ICOMOS / ICCROM Reactive Monitoring Mission to theWorld Heritage property Historical Monuments ofMtskheta. Report.