What is the reason for demolition of Sanahin Monastery?
At July 21 governmental sitting, the Minister of Culture referred to the concerns over Sanahin Monastery.
"The problem does not lie in the crack but in the foundation," Hasmik Poghosyan said when speaking about the restoration works of the complex.
"That's why we are doing archaeological research to understand how deep the crack is. We assume that the crack has been caused by landslides," said the minister adding that an expert conclusion on the comprehensive survey will be available in September.
The Minister said that Armenian Conservation and Research Center for Cultural and Historical Monuments invited experts from Berlin-based Higher Institute of Technology who investigated the territory and a record was made. In 6-7 months, the same procedure will be repeated to record the dynamics of the crack. The results of the previous survey [in May] will be available in September.
Sanahin Monastery, founded in the 10th century and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site is a dilapidated state.
A tender for reconstruction works will be announced which will be followed by actual restoration works in 2012.
The state budget has allocated 6 million drams for restoration.
