ARMENIAN CHURCH OF 17TH CENTURY FOUND IN THE BULGARIAN CITY OF VELIKO TARNOVO

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
21.12.2009 17:56 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Church of 17th century was found in
archaeological excavations by Hitko Stefanov Bashiev and Ilian Petrova
Petrakiev in the Bulgarian city of Veliko Tarnovo on the street of
Nicola Piccolo.

"The Bulgarian ministry of culture and Institute for monuments
preservation are taking steps to recognize the Armenian Church as
a cultural and historical monument of the state, as a historical
value and evidence of other civilizations and cultures in Bulgaria,
Hasmik Dashtoyan, Counselor of the Armenian Embassy in Bulgaria told
PanARMENIAN.Net.

According to her, first excavations were conducted in 1989, in 1990
the article "Archaeological findings during excavations of 1989"
highlighted the existence of the Armenian Apostolic Church in this
area. Next excavations were carried out by Bulgarian scientists Hitko
Stefanov Bashiev and Ilian Petrov Petrakiev between April 1 and 30,
2009. Historians discovered that in the 17th century Armenian Church
of Holy Virgin was constructed there on the ruins of older Catholic
Church. The church was wooden, and therefore fragile. Over time, the
Armenian population of the area left, and the church was completely
destroyed in the early 20th century.

During excavation stones carved with Armenian letters and ornaments
were found.