The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Armenia (MоESCS) has allocated approximately 300 million drams for the restoration of the Tsiranavor Church in the village of Parpi. According to the ministry, foundation reinforcement has been completed, and work has begun on restoring portions of the church’s walls.
“The project was designed to preserve the architectural character of the early medieval structure, even in cases where old stones are replaced,” the ministry’s statement notes.
Dating from the 4th–5th centuries, Tsiranavor Church is one of the earliest Christian structures in Armenia. It once served a defensive purpose as well, providing military movement capability through its integrated fortifications.
MоESCS staff also visited St. Nicholas Church in Amrakits village and the Lori fortress in Lori Province to monitor ongoing restoration work funded by the state budget. At St. Nicholas Church, they met with representatives of the contracting company to discuss landscaping and interior finishing tasks, which are currently in progress. Specialists also reviewed the reconstructed domes of the church.
At Lori fortress, restoration work is ongoing on a church and bathhouse. In some sections, new clay water pipes are being installed, along with partial restoration of the hypocaust heating floor and injection of lime-sand mortar into the walls of the citadel. The restored sections of the monument have also been cleaned using a pressurized water jet and sealed accordingly.
