One of the main churches in Gyumri is located not far from the central square — Holy Saviour’s Church. It was constructed between 1858 and 1872 and has survived two major earthquakes. During the Soviet era, it was repurposed as a museum and concert hall.
The church stands 48 meters tall and is built from beautiful black and orange volcanic tuff, a local stone.
It is fair to say that the church was funded through donations from the residents of Gyumri.
Another fascinating fact about the church is that construction began without a finalized architectural plan, under the leadership of architect Tadeos Antikyan. Some say that the church resembles the main cathedral in Ani, the lost Armenian capital located in present-day Turkey. However, Holy Saviour is actually larger, and its color, ornaments, and overall style are different.
Soon after, the church became a symbol of the city, and the royal Russian authorities began to worry that it represented a kind of renaissance in Armenian culture. In 1865, the Russian Empire prohibited further construction.
Only after persistent negotiations by Bishop Hovsep Kostanyan did construction resume. In total, it took 14 years to complete the church, and the consecration ceremony took place in 1876.
In 1926, the church survived a massive earthquake. Four years later, like many other churches, Holy Saviour was closed by the Soviet government and converted first into a workers’ club, and later into a museum.
This anti-religious campaign was carried out using brutal methods, including the use of tanks, the demolition of the bell tower, and the complete demolishing of the dome and all interior elements.
In the late 1950s, during the post-Stalin years, city authorities decided to restore the building to its original condition. In the 1980s, the church was repurposed again — this time as a concert hall.
The 1988 earthquake destroyed nearly half of the church. It was fully restored only in 2014.
Today, the fallen bell tower dome, which collapsed during the earthquake, stands next to the church as a memorial to the Spitak earthquake.
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