UNESCO Dislikes New Administrative Building of Mtskheta– So-called Noah’s Ark

Mtskheta residents call Noah’s Ark to the new administrative building of Mtskheta; 4 million lari was spent on its construction. Despite UNESCO’s warning, the new building with weird shape was constructed close to Svetitskhoveli, in the old district of Mtskheta.

Mtskheta was declared to be a city-museum and was inserted in the list of UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage. UNESCO opposes ongoing constructions between Svetitskhoveli and Jvari Monastery. Preliminary decision of the UNESCO’s 36th session reads: “In 2010, the Mission, which visited in Mtskheta, underlined that particular attention shall be paid to the sensitive territory on the embankment of Mtkvari River, between Svetitskhoveli and Jvari Monastery. State shall halt ongoing developments in the area.”

According to the decision, new buildings contradict the city vicinity and restored temples have lost their authenticy.

Besides administrative building, two glassy buildings stand in the so-called sensitive zone between Svetitskhoveli and Jvari Monastery. Police is functioning in one glassy building and Sakpatenti (Georgian Patent) in the second one. House of Justice under construction will be third glassy building in the area. Locals think the administrative building is the ugliest but many respondents avoided to openly demonstrate their opinions.

 New governor Givi Giutashvili said he does not like the new administrative building either. “I do not like this building either but I cannot do anything. The fate of the building will be settled with the agreement of Patriarchate and UNESCO. According to my information, UNESCO did not support those constructions,” Givi Giutashvili told ICMM.

There is modern design inside the administrative building. There is even glassy lift for better comfort; however, employees said it often gets wrong and stuck. District administration is functioning on the ground floor; municipal board is located on the second one and regional governor’s administration occupies the third floor.

Deputy regional governor Givi Amirkhanashvili said poor conditions of old building created necessity to move to the new one. “Employees received larger space in the new building; working space is larger and we do our work better here,” Amirkhanashvili told ICMM.

Information Center of Mtskheta-Mtianeti