Two New Preservation Areas to Be Established: Government Decision of Armenia

According to a decision made by the Government of Armenia, two new preservation areas will be added to the existing 13 museum-reserves under the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport. The new areas are the "Dashtadem Fortress" in the Aragatsotn Province and "Capital Dvin" in Ararat.

These sites are classified as national significance monuments and are included in the state registry of historical and cultural monuments. The lands required for the "Dashtadem Fortress" archaeological-architectural reserve and the "Capital Dvin" historical-cultural reserve are recognized as state property lands of historical and cultural significance. The area designated for the "Dashtadem Fortress" is approximately 0.16716 hectares, while the "Capital Dvin" reserve covers 12.72126 hectares.

As reported by the press service of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport of Armenia, the further preservation and management of these reserves will be conducted by the "Cultural Preservation Service of Archaeological Museum-Reserves and Historical Environments" through extra-budgetary funds.

Armenia is a country rich in tourism potential, and the establishment of these reserves will contribute to the development of tourism and the increase in tourist numbers, with the prospect of securing certain positions within the international tourism market.

The Dashtadem fortress complex is located in the southern part of Dashtadem village in Aragatsotn Province. It includes the inner fortress-castle, a fortified enclosure surrounding the castle, defensive walls, a church, secret passages, reservoirs, and other structures. Written sources do not provide a clear date for the monument. The oldest structure is the inner fortress-castle, which is believed to have been built on the foundations of Urartian architecture by the Kamsarakan dynasty in the 7th century.

More precise dates exist for the founding of the city of Dvin. The ruins of Dvin, the medieval capital of Armenia, are located primarily in the Upper Dvin, Khnaberd, Upper Artashat, Norashen, and Aigeshtan village territories, approximately 30 kilometers south of Yerevan. Dvin was founded in the 30s of the 4th century during the reign of Khosrov II Kotak, son of Tirdat III. Dvin is a multi-layered monument, inhabited since the 3rd millennium BC. Excavations have uncovered a large settlement with cyclopean structures at the top of the hill and its surroundings, as well as a worship site from the 9th-8th centuries BC.

The project's aim is also to ensure the unity of principles for the preservation, scientific study, public awareness, and utilization of these reserves (as well as other archaeological sites in Armenia), creating more favorable conditions for stakeholders. Reserves and museum-reserves are considered effective cultural organizations for the comprehensive preservation and management of material and immaterial cultural heritage, thus ensuring the proper maintenance of the entire monument group, the possibility of professional comprehensive studies and public awareness, the involvement of reserve areas in tourism routes, and more efficient use of state funding.

The establishment of reserves aims to enhance the effectiveness of works related to the study, public awareness, and promotion of historical, archaeological, and architectural monuments, monument complexes, monument groups, historical and natural environments, and other cultural values.