| Background
Armenia is one of the world’s oldest civilizations, and according to legend, was the paradise where Noah’s ark landed after the flood. Throughout its approximately 3,000 year history, Armenia has been invaded by many groups seeking to control the major geographical crossroads where it sits: the Romans, Persians, Mongols, Arabs, Ottoman Turks and Russians all controlled the area at one time or another. Consequently, Armenians have continually struggled to retain their own culture, which includes trying to maintain their architectural identity.
 The 20th century was a relatively prosperous period until 1988, when a series of events drastically altered the quality of life for most Armenians: a devastating earthquake in 1988; the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989; and Armenia’s declaration of independence in 1991, followed by a war with Azerbaijan from 1991-1994.
Since 1994, Armenia has slowly rallied but the city of Gyumri has yet to fully recover from the earthquake. Reconstruction of the historic city center - the Kumayri  Historic District - has, until recently, been unable to proceed because temporary housing for 10,000 families occupied local avenues, parks and plazas. By 2004, 6,500 of these families had found permanent housing, and the Gyumri central historic district is finally poised for repair, rebuilding and conservation. The Kumayri Historic District contains over 1,000 intact historic structures, many featuring a charming Armenian Belle Epoque design.
HCN is partnering with the non-profit Historic Armenian Houses and architect Jane Britt Greenwood, Associate Professor in the School of Architecture at Mississippi State University, to demonstrate that in rebuilding the city center, preservation and re-use of historic buildings is a viable alternative to demolition, which results in the loss of both the built heritage and valuable building materials.
Project
Workshop participants will assist with the preservation and repair of a historic masonry residence that suffered damage during the 1988 earthquake. The building, constructed at the beginning of the 20th century, currently houses the Kumayri Museum Preserve, a preservation entity created in 1980 to protect the local historical and cultural monuments dating from the Kumairi- Alexandrapol-Leninakan years. Participants will work under the guidance of Dave Woodham, a U.S. engineer specializing in masonry conservation, and will be joined by professional masons from Yerevan, Armenia, who will bring a group of their students to work and gain experience with historic buildings.
Participants will not only contribute to revitalizing the presence of the Kumayri Museum Preserve, but the building repairs will also be instrumental in protecting the museum’s archives from deterioration due to on-going exposure to the elements. Along with project work, participants will take walking tours to explore Gyumri and the Kumayri Historic District, as well as field trips to surrounding cultural and historical sites. Instruction will be in English and Armenian.
Logistics
The 13-day workshop will have participants arriving on Saturday and leaving on a Thursday. The cost for  international participants will cover lodging; breakfast and lunch; round-trip transportation between the airport, Yerevan, and Gyumri; fieldtrips; insurance and workshop materials. Local residents wishing to attend are welcome to participate at lower rates. Contact HCN for more details. Transportation to the Zvartnots Airport, located just south of the capital city of Yervan, is not included and is the responsibility of the participant.
Most flights coming from Europe to Armenia will arrive at the Zvartnots Airport and transportation will be arranged for participants from the airport to Villa Delenda, a historic Bed & Breakfast, in downtown Yerevan for a one-night stay. Participants will travel by minivan the following day for the two-hour drive to Gyumri. Transportation will also be provided for the return trip to the airport on the scheduled departure date. While in Gyumri, participants will stay at the Hotel Berlin. Fees are based on double occupancy.
Travel to Armenia requires both a passport and a visa. If coming from the U.S., a three-week tourist visa will cost about US$60 and can be obtained from either the Consular Section of the Embassy of Armenia to the United States in Washington, D.C., or the Consulate General of Armenia in California. U.S. citizens can find additional information from the Armenian Embassy. If you are traveling from another country and need assistance, please let us know. An exit fee of approximately US$30 (exact amount changes frequently) is also required and is paid at the Zvartnots Airport upon departure.
Armenians are typically very well dressed and do not wear apparel that is very short or revealing. Please be considerate of these preferences and dress somewhat conservatively. Summers in Gyumri are dry and sunny, with June temperatures ranging between 22° and 30°C (71-86°F). For the work site, bring a hat, long pants, long-sleeved shirts, gloves and hard soled shoes with closed toes that will be protective while working. Layering long sleeves over short is helpful in order to be prepared for any weather at the work site. Remember that safety is always an important consideration at the work site. Additional information on food, lodging, medical treatment and so on will be provided upon registration.
For any additional information, contact us at workshops@heritageconservation.net or call +1 303-444-0128.
If you would like to help with housing and building conservation efforts in Armenia but are unable to attend the workshop, you can still participate by supporting our conservation efforts with a tax-deductible donation to HCN. We have partnered with Groundspring.org to make it easy and safe for you to donate online:
If you would prefer to mail in a gift, please use our donation form.
Photos this page courtesy of
Stepan Ter-Margaryan
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