YEREVAN (Tert)–A 17th century Armenian church has been uncovered during archeological excavations in the Bulgarian city of Veliko Tarnovo, Tert.am reported on Wednesday.
Presently, Bulgaria’s Ministry of Culture is taking steps to recognize the Armenian church as a valuable state historic cultural monument, reports the Russian-language news site Caucasian Knot.
Specialists had begun excavation work in April 2009. Historians found a document from 1588 which stated that in the beginning, there was a Catholic church in that area, whereas afterwards that land was purchased by Armenians living in Bulgaria, who, in the 17th century and on the ruins of the older church, built the Armenian St.
Excavations revealed stones with Armenian letters and ornaments, which bear witness to the fact that an Armenian church was located on that land in the 17-20th centuries.