AUSTRALIA DEFENDS CINEMA MOSCOW OPEN AIR HALL
ArmInfo
2010-03-17 16:21:00
ArmInfo. Australia has defended the Cinema Moscow Open Air Hall.
As it was reported earlier, Internet society has already joined the
action in protection of Moscow Cinema Open Air Hall, which is to be
destroyed for construction of a church similar to the St.
Poghos-Petros Church destroyed in 30s. The government resolved to
transfer the territory of the Open Air Hall to the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin. Facebook social network has responded to the news. An
open group was created at Facebook "SAVE Cinema Moscow Open-Air Hall".
Nearly 4000 people from over the world have joined it in a week. Hayas
Cultural Organization (Sydney) also responded to the SOS. ‘Hayas’
Cultural Organisation (Sydney) and the undersigned have prepared
a Petition to: President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsian, Minister of Culture Hasmik Poghosian.
The petition says: "We the undersigned have come together to protest
the proposed destruction of a unique architectural monument in the
city of Yerevan – the ‘Moscow’ Cinema’s Open-Air Hall.
On February 25 2010, the Armenian Government had made certain changes
in the statutory list relating to the Cultural-Historical Monuments of
City of Yerevan. According to said changes the Open-Air Hall (1968)
of ‘Moscow’ Cinema, located on 18 Abovyan Street was removed from
the list of buildings protected by the government. This action was
taken without consulting any committee of experts and appears to be
legally questionable.
The move to ‘un-protect’ the hall was supposedly instigated by the
decision of ‘Moscow’ Cinema’s current management to transfer the deed
of ownership of the Open-Air Hall to the Holy Mother See of Ejmiatsin,
which plans to demolish said Hall for the purpose of re-building the
18th century Peter-Paul Basilica that once stood on this territory.
The Soviet authorities tragically destroyed the church in 1930s with
the purpose of building the ‘Moscow’ cinema.
In 1960s architects Spartak Knteghtsian and Telman Gevorgian built the
Open-Air Hall in the backyard of the ‘Moscow’ Cinema and the entire
complex was soon hailed internationally as an exceptional model of
urban planning and a successful example of architectural modernism.
Its historic and cultural value for the city of Yerevan is paramount
since very few masterpieces of modernist architecture were actually
build here. Also, with only two working cinemas in Yerevan, every
cinema screen – especially one that can accommodate over 900 people
and serve a variety of cultural purposes – has an immense significance
for the people of Yerevan who are increasingly being deprived of
their heritage and viable public spaces.
While the Mother See of Ejmiatsin is justified in its desire to build
another church in the place of the lost one, doing so by demolishing a
unique architectural monument is simply irresponsible and is a blatant
repetition of the criminal ‘mistakes’ made by the Soviet Government
in the 1930s.
People in Armenia, including the Architect’s Union, numerous artists,
filmmakers, writers and intellectuals as well as thousands of
concerned Yerevan locals have come together to protest the demolition
of the Hall. We believe that the removal of the Hall from the list
of protected monuments sets a very dangerous precedent that will
unquestionably lead to more illegal and irresponsible destruction
in Yerevan and elsewhere. Unable to sign a physical petition, we,
the undersigned want to join our Armenian compatriots and express our
concern and indignation towards the continuing and senseless erasure
of Yerevan’s architectural heritage and urge you not to repeat the
glaring mistakes of past ruling parties."
A total of 900 people have already signed the Petition.