Conservation Plan for the Basilica of Ererouk

Located west of the city of Yerevan in Armenia, the Basilica of Ererouk was constructed in the pre-Christian period using local orange and black tuff stones. Following the adoption of Christianity as the state religion of Armenia, the basilica was rebuilt as a Christian church, and remained in use as late as the 16th century. Today it survives as one of the best-preserved examples of early Christian architecture, and is representative of the influence of Hellenistic traditions in the architecture of the Middle East. Following the 1988 Spitak Earthquake, the United States Information Agency commissioned World Monuments Fund to assess the seismic damage to historic sites in Armenia. This report describes the condition of the Basilica of Ererouk and recommends a stabilization plan that would improve the structure’s response to an earthquake and preserve the site as a ruin without the need for reconstruction.