Alexandrapole, then to Leninakan and then to Gyumri again, the history of the town illustrates both continuity and innovation. One of the ancient settlements of the Northern Armenia, Gyumri is a town that has a history of over 3,000 years, a town that started the culture of urbanization in Armenia, was the birthplace of Armenian opera, was where, in the Soviet times, the first school of arts opened in the USSR, and had the first university in modern Armenian history. The town was the birthplace of Merkurov and Gyurjieff, Isahakian and Minas, Tigranian and Frunzik. Gyumri is a town which preserves unique specimens of the culture of Armenian urbanization, marvelous architectural complexes, whole traditional quarters, streets, public and commercial buildings, as well as unique fortifications. There were over 100 different crafts and 34 unions active in Alexandropole in the end of the 19th century. Masons from Alexandropole were invited to build houses in Tbilisi, Baku and Kars, the work of the jewellers from Alexandropole was displayed in international exhibitions and the beer brewed at the Tsaghikians brewery was sold all over the Caucasus.
Gyumri is a town that has seen and survived a disastrous earthquake in 1988 and has also witnessed the love and affection of all the humanity, a town which even today lives and creates despite the large number of unsolved problems and difficulties, which are present for every family in their everyday lives.
The aim of the project is to turn Gyumri into an international tourist centre, as the only place in Armenia where urban and cultural life of the 19th-20th centuries can be fully appreciated.
By reconstructing the old town and turning it into a large tourism and cultural zone, where rows of craftsmen, small and medium-sized hotels, restaurants, cafйs, studios, workshops, art salons, museums, concert and theatre halls will be accommodated on an area of 200 hectares, on which no less than 1,115 historic buildings are preserved. All this will be in the atmosphere and surrounding of the 19th century, with horse-drawn carriages (“phaetons”) going round in the old town. The cafйs and restaurants will serve dishes, sweets and beer based on 100-year-old Gyumri recipes, preserved nowhere else.
A 19th-century town, preserved in almost unchanged condition and the only such in the country, reconstructed Gyumri will restore the 19th century spiritual, cultural and urban values of Armenia; as well as the town’s shattered confidence in the future.
Gyumri will also become the gateway for Ani, the great capital of Armenia, and is the inheritor and carrier of the ancient capital’s unique values.