Museum of Armenian poet Hovhannes Hovhannisyan at the verge of dilapidation (Photo story)
Museum of Hovhannes Hovhannisian is located in the very centre of the Holly City of Ejmiatsin, in the neigbourhood to the Holy Mother
Cathedral of the Armenian Apostolic Church and mayor's office.
This year Armenian literary world will celebrate Hovhannes Hovhannisian's 145th anniversary of birth and 90th anniversary of death.
The founder of the Classic Armenian Poetry, Hovhannes Hovhannisian had been teaching ancient Greek and Latin for long years at the Gevorkian
Theological seminary in Ejmiatsin. He frequently hosted famous poets, musicians and artists at his place.
Poet's house has dilapidated. Like a gnarled little old man, unprotected and frightened, it is looking today at the multi-store residential buildings tightly surrounding him.
Employees of the museum, who have been working here for several decades, hardly remember when repair works carried out last time.
Several years ago museum's former director Amalia Hovhannisyan managed to do some small-scale remedial maintenance to fix the roof.
Today the house is pierced through, and it's ceiling and one of the walls mould because of moisture. The great Komitas, a friend of
Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, was playing the very piano lean-to the moldy wall.
There are plenty of ancient books, pictures and personal belongings of the poet, as well as letters addressed to him by well-known people of
late 19th and early 20th centuries among exhibits of the museum. All these invaluable illustrations of the poet's life are very unlikely to
be preserved under such conditions.
More than two years ago the museum was transferred from the Institute of Literature and Art to Mayor's office of Ejmiatsin.
In due time Hovhannes Hovhannisian's grandniece Anush Ter-Minasyan addressed a request to the ministry of Culture of Armenia.
Thanks to Deputy Culture Minister Gagik Gyurdjyan, we managed to send an accompanying letter to Echmiadzin Mayor, with a request of re-opening Hovhannes Hovhannisyan's home-museum.
Ruben Sharbatyan, Head of "Culture" union under the Mayor's Office, said they were concerned about the Home Museum's future and spent all possible means to conduct necessary repairs.
"The Mayor's Office has made certain calculations. The amount to be spent on repairing the home-museum comprises AMD 3 440 000. We hope repairs will begin soon," Ruben Sharbatyan said. "To repair the entire construction, we'll need a sum equal to the State Budget fund. No assistance has yet been offered by individual entrepreneurs."
Last week, a relative of poetess Anush Ter-Minasyan was shocked to see the museum. "The big yard turned into a small lawn within a short period. I couldn't enter the building as the Director was out," Ms. Ter-Minasyan said.
When asked about the trees cut down, Home Museum Director Marine Terteryan said that only dead trees had been removed as they could have negative environmental impact or just fall upon the dilapidated building. The wood was used for repairing borders around the museum.
Photo story
Cathedral of the Armenian Apostolic Church and mayor's office.
This year Armenian literary world will celebrate Hovhannes Hovhannisian's 145th anniversary of birth and 90th anniversary of death.
The founder of the Classic Armenian Poetry, Hovhannes Hovhannisian had been teaching ancient Greek and Latin for long years at the Gevorkian
Theological seminary in Ejmiatsin. He frequently hosted famous poets, musicians and artists at his place.
Poet's house has dilapidated. Like a gnarled little old man, unprotected and frightened, it is looking today at the multi-store residential buildings tightly surrounding him.
Employees of the museum, who have been working here for several decades, hardly remember when repair works carried out last time.
Several years ago museum's former director Amalia Hovhannisyan managed to do some small-scale remedial maintenance to fix the roof.
Today the house is pierced through, and it's ceiling and one of the walls mould because of moisture. The great Komitas, a friend of
Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, was playing the very piano lean-to the moldy wall.
There are plenty of ancient books, pictures and personal belongings of the poet, as well as letters addressed to him by well-known people of
late 19th and early 20th centuries among exhibits of the museum. All these invaluable illustrations of the poet's life are very unlikely to
be preserved under such conditions.
More than two years ago the museum was transferred from the Institute of Literature and Art to Mayor's office of Ejmiatsin.
In due time Hovhannes Hovhannisian's grandniece Anush Ter-Minasyan addressed a request to the ministry of Culture of Armenia.
Thanks to Deputy Culture Minister Gagik Gyurdjyan, we managed to send an accompanying letter to Echmiadzin Mayor, with a request of re-opening Hovhannes Hovhannisyan's home-museum.
Ruben Sharbatyan, Head of "Culture" union under the Mayor's Office, said they were concerned about the Home Museum's future and spent all possible means to conduct necessary repairs.
"The Mayor's Office has made certain calculations. The amount to be spent on repairing the home-museum comprises AMD 3 440 000. We hope repairs will begin soon," Ruben Sharbatyan said. "To repair the entire construction, we'll need a sum equal to the State Budget fund. No assistance has yet been offered by individual entrepreneurs."
Last week, a relative of poetess Anush Ter-Minasyan was shocked to see the museum. "The big yard turned into a small lawn within a short period. I couldn't enter the building as the Director was out," Ms. Ter-Minasyan said.
When asked about the trees cut down, Home Museum Director Marine Terteryan said that only dead trees had been removed as they could have negative environmental impact or just fall upon the dilapidated building. The wood was used for repairing borders around the museum.
