Proposal dossier "Gnishikadzor area cultural landscape", nomination for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List

An application for the inscription of the “Cultural Landscape of Gnishikadzor” on the UNESCO World Heritage List was developed by a group of authors led by Artyom Grigoryan. The proposal included the Noravank monastery complex, the Amagu Village, the Areni, Gnishik, Arpi Villages and the Ertich settlement in the cultural landscape of Gnishikadzor.

The proposal included an in-depth analysis of the historical development of the Gnishikadzor settlements, historical and architectural monuments, valuable natural landscape, economic development and the potential and management features. These formed the basis for the inclusion of the territory in the UNESCO World Heritage List under the “Cultural Landscape” category, per the following list criteria:

(I) to exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design

(II) to be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use or sea-use that is representative of a culture (or cultures) or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change