The rehabilitation and maintenance works are being carried out in Georgia’s once abandoned historic village of Musto located in magnificent Khevsureti Region, eastern Georgia.

Mutso is an ancient small village in Georgia’s Khevsureti region. The village was almost completely abandoned about a century ago, yet the old dwellings and strongholds have been maintained till today. The beautiful and lonely tower visible among the harsh rocky mountains is one of the remains of once inhabited place. 

According to the legend the village was established by five brothers. The legend also states that treasury guarded by Mutso’s inhabitants over the centuries is still kept in the high mountains around Mutso waiting for the chosen one to come. At present Mutso serves as a touristic site that leaves its visitors speechless.

Mutso is located in magnificent Khevsureti Region, eastern Georgia

Opening of family hotels and hostels are planned after finishing the rehabilitation process in Mutso, the castle town of a historic importance located in Georgia’s Khevsureti Region. As reported, the medieval castle town and its unique architecture are no longer under the threat of destruction. 

Opening of family hotels and hostels are planned after finishing the rehabilitation process

Rehabilitation works are supposed to be finished till summer. According to the head of the National Agency for Cultural Heritage Protection, Nikoloz Antidze, at this stage there is only the infrastructure of primary need arranged in Mutso, but opening of the family hotels is planned for providing more comfort for the tourists and foreign visitors of Khevsureti. 

The first phase of the rehabilitation started in 2014. Photo courtesy Khevsureti.

The first phase of the rehabilitation started in 2014 and has been implemented in several stages. Medical facilities and certain infrastructure were arranged within the rehabilitation project, with the museum-reserve among them. It is very important that if previously only one family lived in Mutso, now three families are based there and they are simultaneously employed at the museum-reserve.

The ancient village boasts about 30 medieval fortified dwellings. 

Located on a rocky mountain 1880m high in Georgia’s Mtskheta-Mtianeti region, the ancient village of Mutso boasts about 30 medieval fortified dwellings and four combat towers arranged on vertical terraces above the Mutso-Ardoti gorge. However, much of this was in ruins and in desperate need of repair. The place is often compared to the landscape and dwellings of Lord of Ring by the visitors. 

The rehabilitation plan was launched in 2004. Photo courtesy Khevsureti

The rehabilitation plan was launched in 2004, but rehabilitation works started only in 2014. 
Difficult to access, the village retains original architecture, and is a popular destination for tourists and mountain trekkers. Listed, however, among the most endangered historic monuments of Georgia, a project of the rehabilitation of Mutso has been developed since 2004.

Difficult to access, the village retains original architecture.

The architecture of Mutso is mostly highly fortified and defensive in character, featuring a profusion of towers clinging to the mountainsides, signifying constant vigilance in the face of enemy attack.

Author: Teona Kentchiashvili

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