A STATE PROGRAM SHOULD BE WORKED OUT AND IMPLEMENTED FOR RESTORING OLD GYUMRI
Noyan Tapan
Apr 11 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 11, NOYAN TAPAN. After the Spitak earthquake no
serious work has been implemented for the purpose of restoring
the architectural monuments of Gyumri “Kumayri” reserve-museum,
the Old Gyumri, many of which are currently being used as temporary
dwellings. According to Gyumri Mayor Vardan Ghukasian, a state program
should be worked out and implemented for the purpose of restoring the
Old City. The Gyumri Mayor’s Office obliges the residents who initiate
restoration of the old houses in the territory of Gyumri to preserve
their former look. It was mentioned that there are also problems
connected with restoration of the Old City’s communications. The Mayor
said that it is envisaged to finish restoration of Gyumri All Saviour
Church within 3 years. 50 mln drams was allocated by the Mayor’s Office
for these works, the Nor Gyumri fund also initiated a fund-raising for
this purpose. Besides, the Mayor’s Office has planned to restore the
old theater building built 130-140 years ago. According to V.Ghukasian,
monuments to Mher Mkrtchian and Hovhannes Shiraz were erected in front
of Gyumri Dramatic Theater building in the recent two years. It was
mentioned that it is envisaged to erect a monument to gousan Sheram,
as well as Russian tsar Nikolay I in the city. Gyumri, the third
city of Transcaucasia of that time after Tiflis and Baku, was renamed
Alexandrapol after Nikolay I’s wife, Alexandra, in 1873. Gyumri began
to rapidly develop after the programs implemented by Nikolay I in
this region, in particular, after the constrution of a railway.