Unknown Individuals Leave Red Paintings on the Walls of Kobayr Monastery Complex

Employees of the Lori regional service of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia's "Service for the Protection of Historical-Cultural Monuments and Historic Environment" have recorded that during a recent inspection, unknown individuals have left writings in red paint on the walls of the Kobayr Monastery complex dating back to the 12th-13th centuries, located in the Lori region.

In response to this recorded violation, the Service for the Protection has contacted the Police of the Republic of Armenia to provide a legal assessment of the situation. Unfortunately, such incidents are not rare; at the beginning of June this year, inscriptions were also found on the "Charents Arch" monument in the area of the village of Voghjaberd along the Yerevan-Garni road, which was cleaned by the staff of the museum objects laboratory of the Service for the Protection.

In the 13th-20th century cemetery of Lernanist in the Kotayk region, employees from the Kotayk regional service of the preservation agency also reported the entry of large cattle into the site.

The staff of the regional services of the Service for the Protection of Historical-Cultural Monuments remind once again that regular inspections and cleaning activities are conducted according to the established schedule, and in particularly problematic cases, the agency collaborates with local municipalities.

The statement noted, "Monitoring the maintenance of monuments is not only the job of the Service for the Protection, but also the duty of every citizen. Therefore, we urge everyone to treat historical-cultural monuments and the historic environment with care, not to climb on the walls of collapsed churches and monasteries and not to light candles in unapproved places to avoid degrading the appearance of historical monuments."