This report provides an overview of tangible cultural heritage in Armenia. It discusses Armenia's legislation around heritage protection, including national laws and guidelines. It also outlines Armenia's system of planning documents for heritage sites and describes the public management structure responsible for heritage conservation. Some key concerns around conservation are mentioned, such as ensuring new development respects historical contexts.

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Report
Tangible Cultural Heritage:
Context of Armenia
By Sarhat Petrosyan,
Scientific Working Group Member,
Chair of Urban Planning of the Yerevan State University of Architecture and Construction
Yerevan
2013

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Contents
Overlook of Tangible Cultural Heritage in Armenia ............................................................................................ 4
Legislation on Tangible Heritage ......................................................................................................................... 4
National Legislation ......................................................................................................................................... 4
Listed Elements................................................................................................................................................ 5
Guidelines ........................................................................................................................................................ 6
Planning Documents ............................................................................................................................................ 6
Public Management Structure ............................................................................................................................ 8
Concerns and issues in Conversation .................................................................................................................. 8
Summery ........................................................................................................................................................... 10
References ......................................................................................................................................................... 10
Notes ................................................................................................................................................................. 10

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Overlook of Tangible Cultural Heritage in Armenia
The Constitution of the Republic of Armenia is the main legal document in the country. The Article 11 we
read “Historical and cultural monuments and other cultural values are under the care and protection of the
state”. Based on this the Government of Armenia is responsible for the protection of the (historical and
cultural) monuments, not only in Armenia also Armenian culture located aboard. In particular in the areas
where historically part of the Armenia or were inhabited mostly by Armenians, e.g. Eastern Turkey, Eastern
Azerbaijan, West of Georgia, North of Iran, etc.
The Armenian Heritage is relatively rich and is presented by monuments from pre‐history period to
Antique, middle Ages to Modern dates. In particular it is worth to mention the uniqueness of Armenian
Religious architecture as the first nation to adopt Christianity as a State religion in 301 AC. Holy Cross Church
in Van and The Holy Virgin Cathedral, both in Turkey, Churches Ejmiatsin, Hripsimeh, Zvartnots, Monastery
Complexes of Haghpat, Sanahin, Norvanak, Haghartsin and others located in Modern Armenia are influential
masterpieces of Christian architecture. Some of them are included in the UNESCO World Heritage list, and
some are in the process.
Meanwhile by having this rich heritage there are very few urban historic centers. Gyumri, Goris, Yerevan,
Meghri, Gavar, Dilijan and some other smaller towns and villages have preserved historical parts, which can
be subject of protection and conversation.
Legislation on Tangible Heritage
National Legislation
The Government of Armenia is the responsible for the implementation of this Constitutional task.
Currently there are four ministries who are dealing with the issues concerning built environment, Ministry of
Regional Development (deals with Regional development and local authorities), Ministry of Urban Planning
(is responsible for the urban planning and other aspects of built environment), Ministry of Culture
(responsible for the cultural activities, including Preservation of Historical and Cultural Monuments) and
Ministry of Economy (for Tourism).
 Law on Urban Planning, approved on 5 May 1998
This Law is the first legislative initiative which tries to solve issued connected with built environment.
Started from the day when it was approved by the National Assembly, only in year 2011 some changes
were made in the Law.
 Law on Preservation and Usage of Historical and Cultural (immobile) Monuments and Historical
Environments, approved on 11 November 1998

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This Law is the main Law for the preservation and usage of the Monuments in Armenia. Started from its
acceptance only once there was a minor change which was because of a conflict with the Law on State
owned and Not for Alienation Historical and Cultural Monuments.
 Law on Basis of Cultural Legislation, approved on 20 November 2002
The aim of this Law is to elaborate cultural policy in National Level.
 Law on State owned and Not for Alienation Historical and Cultural Monuments, approved by 11 April
2003
This Law is the result of the process of shaping the State L is of Cultural and Historical Monuments for the
Armenia. The process has been started in 2002 and was finalized in 2004.
Listed Elements
Historical and Cultural Monuments are under protection when they are part of Lists, on international
level (UNESCO), on National level (Republican Monuments) and local level (Local Monuments).
UNESCO’s Word Heritage List
 Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of Zvartnots (2000)
 Monasteries of Haghpat and Sanahin (1996)
 Monastery of Geghard and the Upper Azat Valley (2000)
UNESCO’s Tentative List
 The archaeological site of the city of Dvin (1995)
 The basilica and archaeological site of Yererouk (1995)
 The monastery of Noravank and the upper Amaghou Valley (1996)
 The monasteries of Tatev and Tatevi Anapat and the adjacent areas of the Vorotan Valley (1995)
State List of Historical and Cultural Monuments
This list is made for each Marz (Region) of Armenia and for the capital Yerevan (which has special status).
In total there are around 26’000 listed Items. From which around 400 are in Yerevan.
State List of State owned and Not for Alienation Historical and Cultural Monuments
This List is the outcome of Law on State owned and Not for Alienation Historical and Cultural Monuments
where some of the Monuments listed in the State List of Historical and Cultural Monuments are added. They
are mostly cultural institutions, e.g. Museums, Schools, etc.

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Guidelines
Based on Legislation of Armenia the Government of the Republic is in charge of approving guidelines and
other regulations on National level. There are several Guidelines approved by the Government which are
defining the main directions and procedures for the preservation of historical monuments and environments.
 Guideline on State Assessment, Study, Preservation, Strengthening, Renovation, Restoration and
Usage of Historical and Cultural Non‐Movable Monuments
This is the main documents where all procedures regarding developments in and around historical sites
has are defined and categorized.
 Guideline for Developing Master and Zoning Plans
This is the main documents which defines the requirements for the development of most of the planning
documents within Armenia.
 Guideline on Implementation of National Landscape Policy
This is the one of last documents which was approved by the Government after Armenia joined European
Landscape Convention.
Planning Documents
System of Planning Documents is greatly influenced by the system existed during Soviet era. Zoning Plans
are the only new attribute in the list of planning documents. There are some other revisions in the contectn
of required parts of other planning documents.
 Resettlement Plan of Republic of Armenia / Approved in 2002
This Plan is considered general urban planning documents which cover the whole areas of Armenia
mostly focused on the resettlement of the urbanized areas and also resources for economical
development.
 Regional Plans for Marzes (Regions) of Armenia
This level of planning was considered to define the urban developments in the regional level. Currently
there is only one such documents, which is on the areas around Lake Sevan.
 Master Plans for towns
35 out of 48 towns in Armenia have Master Plans. Some of them also include zoning plans for some areas
under development. The Master Plan of Yerevan is considered the most complex one, where around 40%
of the population is situated.
 Zoning Plans for towns

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The interesting and most usable part is the Zoning plan for different parts of Yerevan. The quality of the
plans is not covering the whole spectrum of planning issue. The best example of that are the issues in
some areas of Yerevan.
 Preposition (Master) Plan for Historical and Cultural Monuments
Such project was developed only for Yerevan (Figure 1). There another now in the progress for Goris town
in South of Armenia.
Figure 1: Preposition (Master) Plan for Historical and Cultural Monuments of the Center of Yerevan

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Public Management Structure
Current Public body responsible for the Protection of the Monuments in Armenia is the Agency of
Preservation of Historical and Cultural Monuments of the Ministry of Culture. It is a National body with its
local branches in all regions in Armenia. The development of the public management of Monuments in
Armenia has started in 1920’s.
The research and study on Armenian monuments has been started in late 19th
century by a Russian
researcher N. Mar, which was in Ani, currently located in Turkey. T. Toramanyan who is being considered the
most influential and the founder of the Armenian school of theory was part of this research. Later during
early years of Sovietization of Armenia together with another influential person A. Tamanyan they were
founders of the first institution for protection of the heritage State Antiquity Protection Committee on 1923,
chair by A. Tamanyan. There were some other developments in this filed later.
Started from 1985 the Main Department on Preservation and Usage of Historical and Cultural
Monuments was attached to the Council of Ministers of the Armenian Soviet Socialistic Republic, which
emphasizes the important of preservation at that time. After gaining independence in 1995 Main
Department of Preservation and Usage of Historical and Cultural Monuments became part of the of the
Ministry of Culture (Sport and Youth Affairs) and in 2002 the Agency of Preservation of Historical and
Cultural Monuments of the Ministry of Culture has been established.
Concerns and issues in Conversation
These days more and more are being spoken about the changes in our man‐made environment and
urban development activities which are trying to respond to the worries and questions of ongoing processes
while at the same time proposing solutions for them. However it is obvious those tangible results are not
being recorded in that process and that concerns are still being voiced both in public and professional
community circles inside of Armenia.
The developments in recent years in the central part of Yerevan (Figure 2) expressed the weakness of the
legal framework and practical tools for the community, professionals and other parties. The Study, Analysis
and Development Program for Legislative Basis of the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments,
conducted by urbanlab Yerevan NGO during 2012 showed the absence of the regulatory structure for
preservation. One of the conclusion of that was to develop not only the existing legislative system, although
reconsider the aim of preservation as fundamental element on sustainable development and also the role of
National and local authorities in this process.

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Figure 2: Overview of Central (Historic) part of Yerevan in early 2000’s and in 2012, when Northern Avenue
was built.

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Summery
The issues regarding Conversation are in legislative framework, management on National and local level,
and also in the economical situation in Armenia. The change from centralized economy to the open market
economy brought new challenges for the planning professionals and stakeholders.
Outcome of hierarchy of this process could be the acceptable quality of zoning plans and regulations
which are not good yet, even the parts which have such regulations are not being used as a main planning
document.
Recently some new studies were done for the reducing the risks for implementing this policies. An
example of this is the work group which was shaped under auspice of the Prime Minister of the Republic for
solving issues on central historical part of Yerevan.
They have to be continues to solve them without big loses and use them for having economical activities
in less developed areas of Armenia.
References
(Based on alphabetical order)
 www.gov.am
 www.laws.am
 www.mincult.am
 www.mud.am
 www.parliament.am
 www.transparency.am
 www.unesco.org
 www.urbanlab.am/we think
Notes
This is not a Scientific Report.
The Author does not have intention to present the full information on the subject.
For any enquiries please contact on sarhat@urbanlab.am email address.