Armenian Architecture Group Warns Against Removing Protected Status of Zvartnots Terminal

Armenia's leading organization dedicated to protecting modern architectural heritage is warning that government plans to strip the old terminal at Zvartnots International Airport of its protected status could pave the way for the loss of one of the country's most recognizable 20th-century landmarks.

Docomomo Armenia, the Armenian chapter of the International Committee for Documentation and Conservation of Buildings, Sites and Neighborhoods of the Modern Movement, issued a statement condemning the government's proposal to remove the former passenger terminal from Armenia's State List of Immovable Monuments of History and Culture.

The organization pointed out that the terminal was recognized as a monument of national significance only a year ago, on Aug. 14, 2025, under a decision adopted by the same government that is now seeking to revoke that designation.

According to Docomomo Armenia, there are no clear legal or cultural grounds for removing the building from the protected monuments list. The group said the structure remains in the same condition it was in when it received heritage status and argued that changes in its operational use or future development plans cannot justify eliminating its legal protections.

The organization warned that approving the proposal would set a dangerous precedent for cultural preservation across Armenia. If protection can be withdrawn from a modernist landmark because it is no longer considered practical, it said, the same reasoning could one day be applied to medieval monasteries, fortresses and historic bridges.

Docomomo Armenia cited several previously protected sites that were later removed from the state register and subsequently demolished or placed at risk, including the Sevan Hotel, the Kanaker-Zeytun Canal and the summer hall of Moscow Cinema.

The group said Armenia's modernist architecture is an integral part of the country's cultural heritage and should not become a casualty of short-term political or economic priorities.

It called on the Armenian government to abandon the proposal to remove the old Zvartnots terminal, either entirely or in part, from the national register of protected monuments. The organization also urged the company operating Zvartnots International Airport to reconsider its terminal expansion plans in a way that preserves what it described as a structure of international architectural significance.

Docomomo Armenia said it is prepared to provide professional expertise and technical support for efforts to preserve the historic terminal.

The Armenian government has circulated a draft decision that would remove the old terminal from the country's official list of protected historical and cultural monuments. If approved, the move would allow the building to be dismantled to make way for the construction of a new passenger terminal complex.

—

Support independent reporting from the region by subscribing to The Armenian Report. Our team is funded solely by readers like you.