VIDEO: Karmir Blur Cleared of Construction Waste, Municipality Reports

One of the most important archaeological sites in Armenia and the region, Karmir Blur in Yerevan, has been buried under construction waste for nearly three decades. This was reported by the Yerevan municipality staff.

“Last September, when mayoral candidate Hayk Marutyan presented his electoral program, a significant section was dedicated to ‘Karmir Blur’. It was emphasized that the site should be cleared of construction debris and transformed into an interesting cultural and tourism destination,” noted Yerevan's Deputy Mayor Tigran Virabyan.

The idea has also united various individuals, and thanks to the ‘Free Karmir Blur from Construction Waste’ civic initiative, funds raised have made it possible to clean around 10% of the area.

Currently, work is continuing with city funding. Approximately 700 truckloads of waste need to be removed for the complete cleanup, nearly double the initial estimate.

“We thought the construction waste was around 1 meter deep, but during the work, it turned out to be actually 1.5 meters. People have demolished structures and just filled this area with debris,” stated Mikael Badalyan, director of the Erebuni Historical and Archaeological Reserve-Museum.

So far, 80 truckloads of construction waste have already been removed from Karmir Blur. Equipment will operate here daily. To ensure that archaeological layers are not damaged, the work is supervised by archaeologists.

“Within about a month, we will have a completely cleared Karmir Blur. In the second phase, work will be done on fencing and lighting,” emphasized Deputy Mayor Tigran Virabyan.

“This is an unprecedented step because, in the history of independent Armenia, no monument has been cleaned on such a scale. It also has its ideological component; our neighbors the Turks, controlling Urartian monuments and turning them into tourist centers, present them as part of their heritage,” noted Mikael Badalyan.

For years, the Erebuni Historical and Archaeological Reserve-Museum was perceived only with the Erebuni Fortress. Today, a comprehensive program is being developed to promote three archaeological sites.