Matenadaran – Museum of Ancient Manuscripts

Matenadaran (Armenian “Repository of Manuscripts”), also known as The Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts is located in Yerevan. The collection of Matenadaran manuscripts was included in the UNESCO international program “World Book of Memory” in 1997.

Matenadaran, the first scientific research institution in Armenia, was created on the basis of the Etchmiadzin Manuscript Library in 1921. Matenadaran moved from Etchmiadzin to Yerevan in 1939 and was located in the building of the Public Library (now it is the National Library).

Museum of Ancient Manuscripts Matenadaran

Construction of the Matenadaran building designed by architect Mark Grigoryan began in 1945 and was completed in 1957. By decision of the government of Soviet Armenia Matenadaran was transformed into the Scientific Research Institute of Ancient Manuscripts on March 3, 1959. The institution was named after the creator of the Armenian alphabet Mesrop Mashtots in 1962.

Due to the expansion of scientific activities and the growth of its collection, a new and spacious Museum was built according to the design of architect Arthur Meschyan in 2011.

17,000 manuscripts that are stored in Matenadaran are devoted to practically every sphere of the science and culture known in Ancient history and the Middle Ages (history, geography, philosophy, etc.) Those ancient manuscripts were written in Armenian and other ancient languages: Greek, Arabic, Persian, Assyrian, Latin, Ethiopian, Georgian, Hebrew. The contents of many priceless monuments of writing were preserved only due to the fact that those documents were translated into Armenian in the Middle Ages.

There are statues of great figures of Armenian culture and literature: Movses Khorenatsi, Anania Shirakatsi, Mkhitar Gosh, Toros Roslin, Frick, Grigor Tatevatsi in the courtyard of the Museum and stone-carved figures of Mesrop Mashtots and Koryun on a small platform below.

The oldest manuscript kept in the Matenadaran is the “Gospel Vekhamor”, dating back to the 8th century AD. The Presidents of the Republic of Armenia take a solemn oath on this Gospel during their inauguration. You may see the largest (“Msho Charyntir”, weight – 28 kg) and the smallest (weight – 190 g) book in Armenian in the Museum.

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