Exploring an abandoned school in Armenia

A true time capsule, this school, built in 1901 with the support of Gaspar Ter-Margaryan, has left an indelible mark. Unlike many abandoned buildings in Armenia, this architectural marvel remains untouched, thanks to the efforts of the locals who have preserved its rich history. Despite the school's closure in 2010, its cultural significance lives on, with hopes for restoration to transform it into a museum.

We are on the road again with G. Mattu, and it takes us to the best-preserved abandoned school in Armenia. This school is like a time capsule and left a lasting impression on me! A local man was working in the yard, and we asked for permission to sneak inside.

It looks like an architectural marvel, but the interior impressed me even more! I did not expect to see so many things preserved inside!

Usually, buildings in Armenia are looted, but not this one. The locals have preserved it well.

The school was built in 1901 with the support of Gaspar Ter-Margaryan, a village resident who made his fortune by mining oil in Baku. Seryozha Margaryan, a relative of the benefactor, who himself attended this school from 1966 to 1976, says that Ter-Margaryan built similar schools in 15 to 20 villages of Syunik region.

The hallway and photos of graduates on the wall!

There were years when 400 students attended the school in several shifts. In the last years of its existence, the number of students in the school gradually decreased: 13 students studied in the academic year 2003-2004, 11 students in 2004-2005, 9 students in 2005-2006, and 6 students per class in 2006-2007.

Today, there are no school-age children in the village, and it is not possible to reopen the school. The school finally closed in 2010 after over a century of educating Armenia’s pupils. The restoration of the school building today has purely cultural significance. The building can serve as a museum.

Me in chemistry class! Even the school where I studied didn't look this sublime! It had bare walls and looked symplistic...

Currently, it is on the verge of collapse and is ready to become a distant memory for those who received such high-quality education in a place with a historical backdrop.

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