From Armenia in brief: Gnishikadzor Valley to be nominated for submission in UNESCO World Heritage List

by Maria Titizian

Published: Saturday January 31, 2009

The Noravank monastic complex nestled in the Gnishikadzor Valley.

Yerevan - Artyom Grigorian who heads the Agency on the Protection of Historical and Culture Monuments of Armenia's Ministry of Culture, announced the nomination of the Gnishikadzor Valley to the UNESCO World Heritage List. Mr. Grigorian said that this nomination differs from others because "nature is actively involved here; that is to say creation by nature and people are harmoniously juxtaposed."

According to Mr. Grigorian, UNESCO is now including landscapes and environments along with historical and cultural monuments on its World Heritage List.

"There are natural landscapes here, for example the wheat fields, gardens of grapes, water carrying system, that are also liable to protection," he said. According to Armenpress, nearly 120 historical and cultural monuments are registered in the cultural landscape of Gnishikadzor Valley including the Noravank monastic complex, Areni Church, and the Mizrov caves, among others.  

Armenia already has several cultural monuments on the UNESCO World Heritage List, including the monastic complexes of Sanahin and Haghbat, Geghardavank, the Mother See of Etchmiadzin, the churches of Hripsime, Gayane, and Shoghakat, and the Zvartnots Temple.