“Our architects are poets, who always associate their creation with old and beautiful scenes,” Toros Toramanyan.
The large part of the archive of Toros Toramanyan, (measurements, manuscripts, photos, letters, drawings, etc.), is kept in the funds of the “Service for the Protection of Historical Environment and Cultural Museum-Reservations” SNCO.
The architect’s birthday is on the 18th of March. He was born in the town of Shapin-Garahisar of Lesser Armenia, on March 18, 1864. Toros Toramanyan lost his parents at an early age. In 1884, he left for Constantinople to continue his studies with the help of his relatives. He studied in the Architectural Department of the Empire Art School of Constantinople.
Toros Toramanyan travelled to different countries: Persia, Syria, Turkey, Egypt, Greece, Italy, France.
The architect, who has an invaluable role in our architectural history, dedicated 30 years of his life to the study of Armenian architectural monuments. The architecture of the 5th-8th centuries of Armenia dominates in Toramanyan’s entire scientific heritage: The detailed study of Bavi Tekor/The Church of St Sargis/, Yereruyk, Qasagh, Etchmiadzin Cathedral and Zvartnots, as well as the churches of St Hripsime and Gayane, Katoghike Tsiranavor Church of Avan, Ptghni Church, Cathedral of Talin, St Astvatsatsin Church of Talin, St Gevorg Church of Artik and other monuments.
In addition to being a leading scientist, Toramanyan was also an active member of society, a great patriot and intellectual.
In 1903, he measured the Cathedral of Ani and carried out the project to rebuilt the church. A year later, at the invitation of Archimandrite Khachik Dadyan, he participated in the excavations of St Gregory Cathedral in Zvartnots, as well as in the expedition led by Nikokolai Marr to the excavations in Ani. Toramanyan made detailed measurments of the church and architectural fragments.
Toramanyan’s role in the excavations of Zvartnots Cathedral is invaluable, as well as further scientific studies. Zvartnots was revived thanks to those researches.
“Zvartnots is not a ruin, but a school building and all its fragments and sculptural stones-a history from the depths of centuries,” Toros Toramanyan was sure of it.
A month before his death, in February 1934, the 30th anniversary of Toros Toramanyan’s scientific activity was celebrated and he was awarded an Honored Science Worker of SSRA.
