Tatev Monastery, Vorotan Gorge - Nominees for UNESCO World Heritage  List

ArmInfo. The  Monastery of Tatev and Vorotan Gorge have been nominated for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List. This was announced during a scientific and practical conference focused on the integrated management of UNESCO World Heritage sites,  held at the National University of Architecture and Construction of Armenia (NUACA).


For the first time in Armenia's history, not only an outstanding architectural monument, but also an integral cultural and natural landscape that connects the Monastery of Tatev and Vorotan Gorge is being proposed for UNESCO consideration. The scientific director of the nomination project, Narine Tyutcheva, ICOMOS member, professor of the International Academy of Architecture and head of the educational center , noted that this nomination is not only a contribution to the preservation of a unique heritage, but also an act of ensuring Armenia's ontological security,, affirming our right to historical continuity and identity.


Within the framework of the project, a series of scientific expeditions and field studies were carried out in 2023-2024. The result of these efforts was the prepared preliminary nomination dossier of the object. The total area of the nominated territory was 7,490 hectares, with a buffer zone of 20,180 hectares. The complex included the Monastery of Tatev, monastic cloisters, Vorotan Gorge with ancient settlements dating from the Neolithic to the 19th century, churches, chapels, cemeteries, agricultural landscapes, and historical infrastructure, such as water supply, caravanserais, bridges and roads. The conference featured panel discussions with representatives from the scientific community, professional associations, international organizations, government agencies and the civil sector.  Note that the Monastery of Tatev and Vorotan Gorge have been on the UNESCO Tentative List since 1995.