Jerusalem, museum of Armenian art and culture reopens after more than 25 years, all restored

After more than twenty-five years, the Museum of Armenian Art and Culture reopens in Jerusalem: closed in the mid-1990s due to deteriorating facilities, restoration has been underway since 2018, and now as of mid-November it will once again be open to the public. The opening of the new Edward and Helen Mardigian Museum took place on October 23, with a ceremony presided over by Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem Nourhan Manougian.

The museum traces three thousand years of Armenian art and culture. After the solemn ribbon-cutting ceremony, with which the museum was declared officially open, visitors were able to view the valuable collections, including a large mosaic displayed in the center of the building, an exhibition on the Armenian genocide, and various precious objects, from manuscripts to ceramics and embroidered paddles.

Among the most valuable pieces is the Musrara floor mosaic, dating from the 6th century, seven meters long and more than four meters wide. Discovered between 1892 and 1893, this mosaic floor testifies to the liturgical use of the room for which it was made. From a finely decorated vase depart vine shoots within which are several birds.

"For a people whose existence has been contested and threatened, a museum is not just a collection of artifacts and precious objects. It is also a means of preserving and teaching our history," said Father Arakel Aljalian, pastor of St. James Armenian Church in Watertown/Massachusetts, at the opening ceremony of the newly renovated Armenian Patriarchate Museum. “Today we witness the beginning of a new chapter of the Armenian presence in the Holy City.”

Credit Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem

Jerusalem, museum of Armenian art and culture reopens after more than 25 years, all restored

Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.