GEORGIA – Cover from Tiblissi, Georgia to Braga, Portugal

Registered cover and postcard with stamps posted on November, 22 2011

(Special thanks to my best friend Khatuna Kipiani)

Gelati Monastery Postcard

The Monastery of Gelati is a monastic complex near Kutaisi, Imereti, western Georgia. It contains the Church of the Virgin founded by the King of Georgia David the Builder in 1106, and the 13th-century churches of St George and St Nicholas.

The Gelati Monastery for a long time was one of the main cultural and intellectual centers in Georgia. It had an Academy which employed some of the most celebrated Georgian scientists, theologians and philosophers, many of whom had previously been active at various orthodox monasteries abroad or at the Mangan Academy in Constantinople. Among the scientists were such celebrated scholars as Ioane Petritsi and Arsen Ikaltoeli.

Due to the extensive work carried out by the Gelati Academy, people of the time called it "a new Hellas" and "a second Athos".

The Gelati Monastery has preserved a great number of murals and manuscripts dating back to the 12th-17th centuries. The Khakhuli triptych had also been enshrined at Gelati until being stolen in 1859.

In Gelati is buried one of the greatest Georgian kings, David the Builder. Near his grave are the gates of Ganja, which were taken as trophies by king Demetrius I in 1139.

In 1994, Gelati Monastery was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The site was included in the 2008 World Monuments Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites by the World Monuments Fund to draw attention to deterioration caused by prolonged neglect.

(Source: Wikipedia)

Georgia 2010 - Europa 'International Year of Astronomy'

Georgia 2008 – King David IV

Russia 2009 – UNESCO world heritage historical and cultural complex in Solovetsky islands

The Ensemble of the Solovetsky Islands is a historic and architectural, natural, cultural, religious heritage of the country.

According to the General Assembly of UNESCO decision of December 14, 1992, Cultural and Historic Ensemble of the Solovetsky Islands is included into the World Heritage list.

The stamps of the block represent: Sviato-Troitsky skit (XVII cen.), Sviato-Sergievsky skit (XIX cen.), Solovetsky monastery (XV cen.), Church of Apostle Andrey Pervozvanny (XVIII cen.).

Chile 2001 – Isla de Pascua (World Heritage Site by UNESCO)