BIG TOURIST CENTER TO OPEN IN STEPANAKERT

DeFacto Agency
March 26 2008
Armenia

YEREVAN, 26.03.08. DE FACTO. A big tourist center will open in former
polyclinic’s building in Stepanakert, a shareholder of Tourist Center
CJSC Sergey Shahverdian told in an interview with Karabakh-Open.com.

The restoration works have already started.

According to S. Shahverdian, the building’s architectural appearance
will be completely maintained. A tourist agency and an information
center for tourists will be placed here. There will also be exhibition
halls and other services necessary in tourist industry.

The restoration works mainly financed by Russia’s Armenians will be
concluded in a year and a half. The territory of the park adjoining the
building, where an open-air exhibition is to be held, will be equipped
with modern amenities as well. "The Artsakh artists will have an
opportunity to exhibit and sell their works", Sergey Shahverdian said.

In his words, the idea to establish such a centre sprang up as early
as in 2004. "It was very important for us that the center should
be placed in an ancient building of the city restored in line with
historical-architectural and tourist requirements", S. Shahverdian
said. He also added they have made a right choice. "During the works
on pulling down additional walls and partitions we have found unique
arch apertures". "According to experts’ estimations, the building
was constructed in eighteen fifties, after tsar’s troops had been
dislocated in Karabakh", S. Shahverdian added.