About the Site: The Church of the Virgin in Martvili (7th- 17th century) is one of the most significant monuments in Georgia and one of the oldest and most important centers in Western Georgia, having served as the Episcopal Chair of the Georgian Orthodox Church from the 10th Century until its abrogation by Russian governors at the beginning of 19th Century. At one time, the interior of the church was almost entirely decorated with paintings in various periods from the 14th to the 17th Centuries. The frescos are executed in a combination of both fresco and secco methods, and in the lower register of the church the portraits of kings and nobles are presented along with more traditional iconography. The paintings at Martvili are particularly outstanding because of a number of marvelous portraits of their donors, depicted with a distinctly Georgian combination of Byzantine style and unique individual details. Martvili was also the burial site of the Megrelian kings of Georgia.

Project Activities:

- Conservation of the frescos
- Treatment of biological damages
- Full photo and graphic documentation
- Climat study