Matenadaran: A stone book on a hill in Yerevan

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The Armenian word "matenadaran" means "manuscript repository." It houses a unique collection: approximately 23,000 ancient Armenian manuscripts and several thousand manuscripts in other languages.
Among the treasures are the 7th-century "Gospel of the Virgin Mary," on which Armenian presidents take their oaths of office (Lithuania), the first Armenian manuscript on paper from 971, featuring works by Anania Shirakatsi, the largest book weighing 28 kg, and the smallest, 19 grams.

But beyond the manuscripts themselves and their restoration (more on that later), the repository building itself is also of interest.

As you climb the wide staircase to the Matenadaran, the first thing you notice is its scale. The building seems to rise from the hill, austere and solemn, like an ancient fortress of knowledge.

It was built in 1959 by architect Mark Grigoryan, who spent a long time searching for the right image. He traveled to Armenian monasteries—Haghpat, Sanahin, Tatev—and studied how ancient architects built their book depositories.

Then he found inspiration in the plans for a church from the ancient city of Ani—and this amazing façade with triangular niches, similar to those that adorn medieval churches, was born.

Post by Liseykina | Oct 21, 2025