https://www.armenianstreet.org/about1 daily 1.0 2022-12-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af5b1aff79392c1ef08a8a5/1526144561753-QBAEO3WLOPDHGXVZ737P/1890+Singapore.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af5b1aff79392c1ef08a8a5/1526059815607-2V9THBWQMPKD4Q4ZSPGP/1890+Singapore.jpg About https://www.armenianstreet.org/mediterranean-basin daily 0.75 2022-12-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af5b1aff79392c1ef08a8a5/22f6ec4e-1672-4ac3-9476-a845c012ee8a/4.+Kessab.JPG Mediterranean Basin Kessab, Syria, Ararat Sarkissian, 2021, oil on canvas, 65 x 46 cm Kessab with its 12 Armenian villages, which complete the image of this enjoyable region living in the Armenian spirit, is a unique community. In the time of the Crusaders, it is referred to as Casabella, which means “beautiful house.” Armenians began to settle around Antioch since the 9th century, but during the Ottoman rule they left the mountains, forming five village groups, the most famous of which is that of Suedia / Musa Dagh. No less glorious is the remnant of the ancient Armenians of Antioch, Kessab, the only one of its kind surviving to the present day. During the years of the Armenian Genocide, the people of Kessab were forcibly deported, most of them were killed. Returning to their homeland in 1919, they defended their freedom with weapons. In 1946-1947 the 2/3 of the people of Kessab were repatriated; it seemed this Armenian community would disappear. However, Kessab breathed new life in the 1960s, when it became a resort, famous for its apple orchards. That peaceful and prosperous life was interrupted when the Free Syrian Army invades Kessab in 2014 with Turkish support. The settlement and the villages were looted, the sanctuaries were desecrated, most of the buildings were destroyed. But a few months later, when a return was possible, Kessab begins to heal its wounds. Hagop Cholakian, the author of many books about Kessab, writes: “The population of the Kessab village group endured all the historical shocks familiar to the Armenian people in the last one and a half centuries, but they were always able to return and restore their home.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af5b1aff79392c1ef08a8a5/d7e04a70-6006-4aca-9d75-013b8ff57ee7/1.+Aleppo.JPG Mediterranean Basin Aleppo, Syria, Ararat Sarkissian, 2021, oil on canvas, 65 x 46 cm Aleppo has changed dozens of rulers during its five-thousand-year history, and several earthquakes have completely destroyed the city. The Armenian community was formed in the 14th century, but grew in the following centuries, when it became a center of international transit trade. Armenian Khojas brought Persian raw silk there by southern route, which was then sold in European markets. The great poet Sayat-Nova called himself “from Aleppo.” Armenian craftsmen were famous in Aleppo - jewelers, tanners, silk weavers and bakers from Sassoun. The most prominent building in Aleppo is its high fortress. The Sassoun people living in Aleppo believed it was built by the Armenian epic hero, David from Sassoun. The Armenian community has been declining since the 18th century, with some assimilation into Arab Christians. But since the end of the 19th century, the Armenian population of Aleppo has been growing at the expense of refugees who survived the Ottoman massacres. During the years of the Armenian Genocide in 1915, Aleppo was an intermediate destination for the caravans of exiles. Later, in the 1920s, most of them found their refuge in Aleppo. A lively, active, self-confident, crowded community of up to 60,000 Armenians was formed there. Armenians easily integrated into their new homeland, which was especially facilitated by the granting of citizenship to refugees in 1924. Syrian civil war, that broke out in 2011, wreaked havoc especially in Aleppo. Local Armenians also suffered great losses. Today only 14-15 thousand Aleppo Armenians are left from the once prosperous community, who are trying to preserve the image of the community and the viability of community structures at the cost of unspeakable efforts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af5b1aff79392c1ef08a8a5/a450f0a7-3a4c-4ece-a6a2-5ad74d58c15f/3.+Beirut.JPG Mediterranean Basin Beirut, Lebanon, Ararat Sarkissian, 2021, oil on canvas, 65 x 54 cm At the beginning of the 12th century, the Crusaders met many Armenian settlements in the mountains of Lebanon. The Armenian Catholic Monastery of Bzommar was founded here in the 18th century, which served as the residence of the Armenian Catholic Patriarch. Lebanon became the center of the Armenian Diaspora after the Armenian Genocide, when tens of thousands of refugees, mostly from Cilicia, settled there. When in 1939 Turkey occupied the sanjak of Alexandretta, the community was replenished with tens of thousands of new refugees. In 1924, Armenian refugees received citizenship, and after Lebanon’s independence, the Armenian Apostolic and Armenian Catholic communities received political status. Until now, they have their deputies in the Lebanese parliament. There have always been several Armenian ministers in the Lebanese government. Favorable political and economic conditions in Lebanon also contributed to educational and cultural development of the Armenians. In 1930, the Catholicosate of the Holy See of Cilicia moved to the Antelias settlement near Beirut, becoming the de facto religious center of the Armenian Diaspora. There are still two dozen schools, and Haigazian University functions there. The civil war of 1975-1990 was a severe blow to the Lebanese Armenians, most of them emigrated. The “Little Armenia” of Beirut is Burj Hammoud, one of its suburbs. When the Armenian refugees settled there, it was a swampy empty space that they built and developed, creating a unique and self-contained Armenian atmosphere. Many of the neighborhoods of Burj Hammoud bear Armenian names: Marash, Sis, Adana, Aragats, Cilicia, Euphrates... During the Civil War it was a citadel for the Armenians of Lebanon. Burj Hamoud has been the symbol of the Armenian Diaspora, his beating heart, and it must remain so. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af5b1aff79392c1ef08a8a5/65cacfed-2fd9-480b-8476-2c0fbb824eeb/5.+Nicosia.JPG Mediterranean Basin Nicosia, Cyprus, Ararat Sarkissian, 2021, oil on canvas, 65 x 54 cm Since the 12th century there has been a large Armenian community in Cyprus, which became more numerous after the fall of the kingdom of Cilicia in 1375. There were 4-5 Armenian villages, Armenian monasteries, churches, two episcopal dioceses on the island. When in 1571 the island was occupied by the Ottomans, the Armenians almost completely leave Cyprus. Ottoman rule ended in 1878, when the British became its de facto owners. The history of the Armenian community in Cyprus restarted after the Armenian Genocide, when about 3,000 refugees, mostly Cilician Armenians, settled on the island. In 1960, after a long struggle, Cyprus became independent from Great Britain. In 1974 Turkish troops invaded Cyprus, and the island was divided into Greek and Turkish parts. This tragic event had an impact on the Armenian community. The Armenians of the Turkish part became refugees, and many religious and historical monuments remained there, which are being constantly desecrated. In the Turkish part remained Makaravank, the Holy Mother of God Cathedral, large estates. The community lives a normal life. There are churches in Nicosia, Larnaca and Limassol, and next to them, state-sponsored Nareg schools. The fate of the Armenian community in Cyprus is archetypal: prosperity, political catastrophe - emigration, again prosperity created by great efforts, political catastrophe - emigration. They created a paradise and kicked out from there, which repeats itself again and again... https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af5b1aff79392c1ef08a8a5/a4f822e9-c2a9-4267-971c-25392f7f9edf/2.+Alexandria.JPG Mediterranean Basin Alexandria, Egypt, Ararat Sarkissian, 2021, oil on canvas, 65 x 46 cm The Armenian community of Egypt has a history of more than a millennium, with its ups and downs. The new rise of the community begins in the 19th century. The center of the community has always been, indeed, Cairo, but in the 19th century it flourished in Alexandria. In 1792 there was already an Armenian church in Alexandria. The Poghos-Petros Church, built in 1880, is still functioning. Alexandria was a small town in the 18th century, but in the following century it flourished highly. Alexandria became a cosmopolitan city, a crossroads of different languages, religions and customs of east and west. Armenians played a significant role in the prosperity of the city, especially Boghos Bey Yousefian (1775-1844) made Alexandria one of the most important ports in the Mediterranean. Boghos Bey enjoyed the unconditional trust of the ruler of Egypt, Mohammed Ali, due to his perfect, uncorrupt reputation. In his activities, Boghos Bey worked to involve his compatriots in his activiries, develop the Armenian community life of Alexandria. Nubar Pasha Nubarian (1825-1899) followed in the footsteps of his uncle. He repeatedly held the post of Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt. When Nubarian was still a teenager, the family moved to Alexandria, where his bright personality has been developed in the Levantine atmosphere. In Alexandria, a street was named after him and his bust was erected. The Armenian community of Alexandra grew with the migration started after the Genocide, reaching 7-8 thousand. For political and economic reasons, Armenians started to leave Egypt after the 1950s. Now only about 1,000 Armenians live in the city. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af5b1aff79392c1ef08a8a5/f2e1a09d-b878-4580-8a86-668b08a0e672/4.+Zeytun.JPG Mediterranean Basin Zeytoun, West Armenia, Ararat Sarkissian, 2021, oil on canvas, 65 x 54 cm When in 1375 the Armenian kingdom of Cilicia was abolished, several semi- independent governments still existed in Mountainous Cilicia for about five hundred years, the most famous of which was Zeytun. Although Cilicia, including Zeytun, from the beginning of the 16th century was under Ottoman rule, this subordination was nominal. In the 17th and 18th centuries Zeytun was governed by the principle of military democracy. Only in the middle of the 19th century an attempt was made to subdue Zeytun to the central authorities. In 1862 Aziz Pasha, the governor of Marash, attacked Zeytun with a large army and suffered a terrible defeat. That heroic battle aroused great enthusiasm among Armenian patriots and became a symbol of Armenian freedom. Poems and songs were written and myths were woven about it. Despite that, Sultan Abdul Majid achieved the elimination of the semi- independence of the province, and the inhabitants became taxpayers. In 1878 a new uprising broke out, led by prince Babik. The battles that lasted for about two years ended in mutual concessions. For the Ottoman Empire, Zeytun became a hated symbol that he sought to destroy. Between 1780- 1909 Zeytun resisted the Ottoman troops 41 times, showing unwavering will for freedom. In March 1915, the Armenians of Zeytun were forcibly displaced, and the city was set on fire. Some of the inhabitants were massacred, the survivors were deported to different countries. 1500 survivors from Zeytun returned to their homes. In 1921 at the request of the Kemalist authorities, Zeytun was finally emptied of Armenians. Now Süleymanlı village is in the place of Zeytun. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af5b1aff79392c1ef08a8a5/79796315-19ea-45e6-8604-9e6e06f9562b/1.+Sis.JPG Mediterranean Basin Sis, West Armenia, Ararat Sarkissian, 2021, oil on canvas, 65 x 46 cm Of the medieval capitals of Armenia, only Sis can compete with Ani. Becoming the capital in 1173, the city was developed especially during the reign of King Leo II (1187-1219), when the walls, the royal palace and many magnificent religious and secular structures were built. Armenian historians especially praise the new palace founded by king Hetum I (1226- 1269) and its magnificent sculptures. Sis remained the capital until 1375, when it was occupied by the Egyptian mamelukes. The city was destroyed; the royal complex was demolished. In 1516 the city was conquered by the Ottomans. The Islamic rulers renamed Sis Kozan, but until 1915 it had a predominantly Armenian population. In 1293, the Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church was established in Sis, thus beginning the history of the Catholicosate of Cilicia. Sis would probably have shared Ani’s fate if the Catholicosate had not been establishedthere. The Catholicos complex, founded during the reign, was called the Old Monastery by the Sis inhabitants. In 1810 Catholicos Kirakos I Ajapahian (1797-1822) founded New Monastery. The newly built Cathedral, which was an impressive architectural monument, was built on the ruins of the royal St. Sophia Church and bearing the same name. At the request of the Turkish authorities, Catholicos Sahak II Khabayan (1902-1939), collecting the antiquities and riches of the Catholicosate, was deported to Arabic countries with the remnants of the Cilician Armenians, and in early 1922 the abandoned Catholicosate was destroyed and looted. Now there are only two walls left of the Catholicos Cathedral, as if testifying that “the Turks passed there.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af5b1aff79392c1ef08a8a5/3678a11c-5adb-4216-9ad1-261e0d8d45cc/5.+Bethlehem.JPG Mediterranean Basin - Make it stand out Bethlehem, Ararat Sarkissian, 2021, oil on canvas, 65 x 54 cm Today, the Old City of Jerusalem is divided into four districts: Armenian, Muslim, Christian and Jewish. Armenians occupy almost a quarter of the Old City. The three senior guardians of the main Christian sanctuaries, the Armenian, Greek and Catholic churches, have been officially recognized as the right holders of St. Church of the Holy Sepulchre, St. Bethlehem Church of the Nativity, Church of the Sepulchre of Saint Mary of Gethsemane and Chapel of the Ascension of Mount of Olives. According to legend, the rights of the Armenian Church to the Holy Places were first granted by the Prophet Muhammad in the 7th century, and then confirmed by Omar Khalif. At that time, the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem separated from the Greek one, and most of the Holy Places were recognized as Armenian properties. There have been many encroachments on the property of the Armenian Church over the centuries, but the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem has been able to protect those rights and pass them on to future generations. The Armenians not only went to Jerusalem, but also tried to bring the Holy Land to Armenia. Catholicos Komitas in the 7th century rebuilt the temple of Holy Etchmiadzin according to the architectural forms of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The Zvartnots Cathedral built by Nerses Shinarar is inspired by the image of the Rotunda of the Resurrection, and the Dvin Cathedral is rebuilt according to the composition of the Church of the Nativity of Bethlehem, etc. It was as if they were seeing the New Jerusalem in Armenia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af5b1aff79392c1ef08a8a5/1a2a973f-a813-444a-8350-54a4dbaddb8f/2.+Erzurum.JPG Mediterranean Basin Erzurum, West Armenia, Ararat Sarkissian, 2021, oil on canvas, 65 x 46 cm Western travellers considered Erzurum the capital of Western Armenia. In ancient times it was known as Karin. In 421 the Byzantine emperor Theodosius II built a strong fortress, renaming it Theodosupolis. The city was renamed again after the Seljuk invasions, when the nearby Armenian town of Artsn was destroyed and its inhabitants fled to Karin. It was named Artsn, Erzurum in Turkish pronunciation. The overwhelming majority of the city’s population has long been Armenian, but being the most powerful administrative and military center in the eastern provinces of the Ottoman Empire, a large number of Muslims have settled there. Mass forced conversion also played a big role. OnlyafewhundredoutofoneandahalftensofthousandsofArmenians survived the genocide. Erzurum was located on the Silk Road from Tabriz to Izmir, which greatly contributed to the development of trade and crafts. The woolen fabrics of Erzurum, the basturma (a highly seasoned, air-dried cured beef) of the army meat providers Pastermadjian family, were especially famous. Erzurum was the educational and intellectual center of Western Armenia. Sanasarian College was especially famous, which is still one of the sights of the city. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af5b1aff79392c1ef08a8a5/9c18c558-df95-4bf2-acd5-e0289dc93d4a/3.+Adana.JPG Mediterranean Basin Adana, West Armenia, Ararat Sarkissian, 2021, oil on canvas, 65 x 54 cm Cilicia is one of the oldest inhabited areas in the world, the crossroads of civilizations, and Adana is its heart. In the Middle Ages, Adana was the domain of the Oshinian princes, inhabited by Armenians. Linguists claim that the names Adana and Hrazdan are common and are connected with the Indo-European word dan (river). From 1130s to 1359 Adana was part of the Cilician Armenian state. Adana was not the capital, but it is remembered as a “magnificent royal city.” In the second half of the 12th century a royal palace was founded in Adana, also many magnificent churches, the most famous of which is St. Hakob, which was turned into a mosque by the conquerors and called Ulu- jam. The city was defended by a fortress built on a rock, surrounded by towering walls. In the 19th century, the importance of Adana and Cilicia in the world trade increased many times due to cotton cultivation. The Ottoman provincial cities were declining, looking sadder. Adana was an exception: many beautiful and magnificent buildings are being built there. Adana became one of the most beautiful cities of the Ottoman Empire, and its merit was mainly on Armenians. Despite that, hatred towards Armenians was growing. In April 1909 Armenian massacres begin in Adana. The Armenian song says: “The glorious Adana became a desert.” There were many massacres, but this one was unique as an expression of evil envy. The city was finally emptied of Armenians in 1921. Now it is one of the most prosperous and developing cities in the Middle East. But it will never surpass the glory when Adana was Armenian. And Armenians will never forget what a beautiful city they had. https://www.armenianstreet.org/southeast-asia daily 0.75 2018-05-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af5b1aff79392c1ef08a8a5/1526121240019-50Y4GA7KMUGE4CUJCCGF/1.+Ani+46x65.jpg Southeast Asia Ani, Ararat Sarkissian, 2018, oil on canvas, 65 x 46 cm Ani was an ancient fortress that became a famous city during the Bagratuni period, and in 961 was proclaimed the capital of the Bagratid Armenian Kingdom. Ani was surrounded by powerful two-layered walls named Ashotashen and Smbatashen, while in the center of the town was a Citadel. Ani is known as the “city of one thousand and one churches,” the most famous of which was the Cathedral - the seat of the Catholicos. The Silk Road was one of the most important trade routes in the Middle Ages, linking China and India to the West. Ani, which lay on that road, became a thriving city where merchants from different parts of the world would meet to trade. Ani was abandoned after an earthquake in 1319, but its ruins tell a captivating story. Ani Armenians set up communities outside the homeland – in the Crimea, the Balkan Peninsula, Poland, and elsewhere. According to tradition, the name Jugha (Julfa) represents a branch of Ani, and hence Jugha was also referred to as New Ani. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af5b1aff79392c1ef08a8a5/1526121550994-55EU0UCHZ1ERXD9JKG8G/4.+Nor+Jugha.jpg Southeast Asia Nor Jugha, Capital of the Armenian Seafarers, Ararat Sarkissian, 2018, oil on canvas, 65 x 46 cm The Armenian city of Nor Jugha (New Julfa) emerged out of Shah Abbas’ campaign in the early 1600s to deport Armenians from Jugha (Julfa), near the Arax River in the heart of historic Armenian lands, to his new capital of Isfahan. There they settled in an area which became known as New Julfa. New Julfa quickly emerged as a new Armenian city. Its main avenue Nazar Khiavan, named after the city’s first Kalantar (mayor) Nazar, stretches East to West and housed Armenian shops and workshops. Ten straight and wide streets stretched along the River Zayande to the south, crossing Nazar’s Avenue and forming twenty independent districts. New Julfa was covered with beautiful gardens and the Armenians built 13 churches in the city. By 1620 New Julfa was the center of Iranian trade and had 30,000 inhabitants. Shah Abbas handed the Armenians the monopoly on Iranian raw silk export. Armenian merchants’ agents, in addition to their commercial activities, often provided intelligence, translations and diplomatic services for the Shah. A new type of Armenian was formed in New Julfa, who should be called the “sea-Armenian”. These Armenian merchants took to the sea and became valiant seafarers, first establishing themselves in prominent port cities in India and then in the Far East. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af5b1aff79392c1ef08a8a5/1526121306378-D1S5JPDWMQ7XVFOKN6NP/2.+Etchmiadzin.jpg Southeast Asia Holy Etchmiadzin, Ararat Sarkissian, 2018, oil on canvas, 65 x 46 cm Built between 301 and 303, Etchmiadzin is considered the oldest cathedral in the world and today serves as the Catholicosate and main administrative headquarters of the Armenian Apostolic Church. According to Agathangelos, the historiographer and secretary of King Tiridates III of Armenia, St. Gregory the Illuminator, Armenia’s Patron Saint and first official head of the Armenian Church, founded the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin. That occurred after he had a vision of Christ striking the ground with a golden hammer at the pagan temple of Spandaramet, the guardian spirit of the land. King Tiridates III was the first King ever to adopt Christianity as a state religion. In the Middle Ages, Etchmiadzin was rebuilt to resemble the two peaks of Mount Ararat: Sis and Masis. Legend has it that Noah’s descent in the ark to these peaks inspired medieval Armenian merchants to fearlessly travel the seas in search of salvation, looking to the Armenian Church for protection on their adventures. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af5b1aff79392c1ef08a8a5/1526121435564-E5O8G6RDVDXOYO4G5NMR/3.+Jugha.jpg Southeast Asia Jugha, Ararat Sarkissian, 2018, oil on canvas, 65 x 46 cm In the 15th century a group of Khodjas or Eastern international merchants, was formed in Jugha (Julfa), Agulis and nearby towns. These merchants were responsible for extending Armenian international trade. The Armenians transported Chinese and Persian silk via Astrakhan and Russian Arkhangelsk to the Netherlands and England, and through the Aegean ports to Italy and France. The inhabitants of Jugha were proud of their city, and claimed it was more beautiful and wealthy than Paris. In 1603 Shah Abbas I of Iran was the guest of Khodja Khachik, who hosted him in the city for three days. The Shah and his retinue approached the city in the evening, and were impressed by the 30,000 lanterns that burned throughout the city, turning night into day. Beautiful hand-knit rugs and expensive silks were laid along the path from the river bank up to Khodja Khachik’s house and Khodja Khachik presented the Shah with gold in a golden platter. In 1605 Shah Abbas deported the residents of the Arax valley, including Jugha, to his new capital, Isfahan, thus enriching his empire with businessmen, skilled craftsmen and industrious peasants. Jugha was destroyed and burned twice so that its residents would not return. The glorious history of Nor Jugha (New Julfa) began with the destruction of Jugha. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af5b1aff79392c1ef08a8a5/1526123540498-3HX5SJU3BSRQ560W51S0/9.+Georgetown+%28Penang%29+54x65.jpg Southeast Asia Armenian Street, Georgetown, Ararat Sarkissian, 2018, oil on canvas, 65 x 54 cm The Armenians came to the island of Penang, Malaysia, at the end of the 18th century. Today the city’s Armenian Street (Lebuh Armenian), which is located within the city’s UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a popular tourist destination. The small number of Armenians in Penang were mainly merchants and hoteliers. The well-known Sarkies brothers established the Eastern and Oriental Hotel (The E&O) and later they ran the Crag Hotel. Dr Thaddeus Avetoom founded the Georgetown Dispensary, and Anthony A. Anthony established an export firm, whose name still exists, as does the E&O and the Dispensary. The Armenian Apostolic Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator in Bishop Street was established through the efforts of philanthropists Carapiet Arackell and Catchatoor Galstaun. The Church was demolished in 1909 and a monument was erected to commemorate it. In the 1930s, it too was demolished and the remains of Armenians buried in the cemetery were re-interred in a special plot in the Western Road cemetery. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af5b1aff79392c1ef08a8a5/1526122619018-12UZHMMOSJSEII12ZTR3/5.+Madras.jpg Southeast Asia Armenian Street, Madras, Ararat Sarkissian, 2018, oil on canvas, 65 x 46 cm Armenians merchants had been settling in Southeast India since the 16th century. In the mid-17th century, they were fighting alongside the Indian communities against the Portuguese colonists, and in 1662 Armenian Marcus Erezad became the Governor of Mylapore. The Armenians of Madras (now Chennai) established a printing house in 1772, publishing books and the first Armenian periodical, “Azdarar” in 1794. An Armenian Church was founded in Madras in 1712, but the British destroyed it after three decades. The present church was established in 1772 on Armenian Street. Masonic symbols are visible on the front of the church, which means that the Madras people were interested in Masonic lodges as early as in the 18th century.. St. George fortress, known as the oldest Armenian building, is the current Admirals’ home. The Marmalong Bridge (Maraimalai Adigal Bridge) was originally constructed by the Armenian merchant Coja Petrus Uscan in 1726-1728 at the cost of 100,000 rupees. The Armenian community of Madras is famous for its patriotism. Wealthy merchant Shahamir Shahamirian appealed to Catherine the Great, the Queen of Russia, to liberate Armenia from under the Persian yoke, promoting the vision of an Armenian state and publishing the first ever draft of the Constitution of Armenia in Madras. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af5b1aff79392c1ef08a8a5/1526122762669-YPJ5DSYU137CJQQH6ROB/6.+Calcutta.jpg Southeast Asia Armenian Ghat, Calcutta, Ararat Sarkissian, 2018, oil on canvas, 65 x 46 cm The Armenians were established in Bengal in 1646. After the foundation of Calcutta, the Armenians settled here, and in 1707, founded the Armenian Church of the Holy Nazareth. Now there are three Armenian churches in the city. In 1821 the Armenian Humanitarian Seminary was founded in Calcutta, which still functions. It played a major role in the education of the Armenians. Among the Armenian communities in India, Calcutta became the largest, and a small Armenian community exists today. As in many cities where Armenians settled, there is an Armenian Street. The Armenian presence in Calcutta was very obvious in the early twentieth century. Edifices including Galstaun Park (now the Nizam Palace), Galstaun Mansion, Stephens Court, Park Mansions and the Grand Hotel (now the Oberoi Grand) reflected the wealth of individuals from Isfahan such as J.C. Galstaun, Arathoon Stephen and T. M. Thaddeus. The Armenian Ghat is of special mention, built by Manvel Hazaar Maliyan in 1734. This elegant construction made of cast iron stands on the Hoogley River bank, in vicinity of the flower market. It maintained its significance until the construction of a bridge over the river in 1874. Unfortunately, this magnificent building is now almost forgotten. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af5b1aff79392c1ef08a8a5/1526123026081-QXT8O0RKWVIO2X90L9D0/8.+Rangoon.jpg Southeast Asia Armenian Church, Rangoon, Ararat Sarkissian, 2018, oil on canvas, 65 x 46 cm The first Armenians settled in Myanmar in the early 16th century. They were shipbuilders, merchants, traders in precious stones (especially rubies) and exporters of non-ferrous metals. Armenians were a trusted community and were granted permits to build bridges and other major infrastructure. Sarkies Manook, Khodja Grigor Ayvazian, Captain Khodja Simon, Royal Treasurer Nikoghayos Aghazariants, Minister Ishkhan Grigor Manukian, engineer Arakiel Martin, Governor of Pegu State Mkrtich Hovsep Minasian were among the prominent Myanmar Armenians. One of the world’s first female diplomats, Diana Apcar, who was appointed Honorary Consul of Armenia in Japan in 1920, was born in Myanmar. Armenian merchants were often employed as officials by the Burmese Kings, who granted the community permission to build churches. In 1862 the Armenian Apostolic Church of St. John the Baptist was built in Merchant Street in the center of Rangoon (Yangon). This replaced an earlier Armenian church. Other churches once existed in Pegu, Moulmein, Mandalay, Maymo and Syriam. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af5b1aff79392c1ef08a8a5/1526123632041-9I84PQKDP9DXVTOGG38D/11.+Batavia+%28Jakarta%29.jpg Southeast Asia Armenian Church, Batavia, Ararat Sarkissian, 2018, oil on canvas, 65 x 46 cm The Armenian community in Indonesia has a 300-year history. In 1747 the Armenians were granted equal rights with the Dutch. In 1880 a General Board was established in Batavia (now Jakarta) to look after the religious and cultural assets of the community. Apart from Batavia, Armenians settled at other trading centres such as Bali, Malang, Ceribon Makassar, Semarang and Surabaya. The Armenians were successful planters, ship-owners and merchants and amassed large fortunes. One merchant, Hovsep Amirkhanian, was so wealthy that in 1830 he made an offer to the Russian emperor to purchase or rent the region of Artsakh (Karabakh) and the city of Baku, Azerbaijan. Wealthy benefactor Jacob Arathoon paid for a church to be built in Batavia in 1831 and in 1855 this was replaced by the Church of St. John paid for by Gevorg Manook. It was demolished in 1961. In 1927 St. George’s Armenian Church was established in Surabaya. During the Second World War, the Japanese interned those Armenians who were naturalised Dutch subjects: those with Persian citizenship were exempt. Some died in camp of hunger and disease. After the war, others were killed when Indonesians fought for independence. Most Armenians moved to the Netherlands, USA, and Australia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af5b1aff79392c1ef08a8a5/1526123737553-VJ49D5SJUGFG5P5XBMC8/10.+Singapore.jpg Southeast Asia Armenian Street, Singapore, Ararat Sarkissian, 2018, oil on canvas, 65 x 46 cm In 1819 Singapore was established as a British trading post. Armenian merchants from around the region soon recognised the prospects of this port and established a small community, which has never exceeded 100 residents. Though small, the Armenian community has had a great impact on Singapore. In 1835 the community erected the Armenian Apostolic Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator; it is the oldest Christian church in Singapore and was designated as a national monument in 1973. The world’s first cultivated orchid hybrid was bred by Ashkhen Hovakimian (Agnes Joaquim) in the 1880s and carries her name. In 1981 the VandaMiss Joachim Orchid was proclaimed as Singapore’s national flower. Today, Singapore’s Raffles Hotel is a part of a large chain of Raffles international hotels. The hotel was opened in 1887 and was managed by Tigran Sarkies. The Sarkies brothers - Martin, Tigran, Aviet, and Arshak, originally from Isfahan in Persia, became the leading hotel owners in the East with properties in Myanmar, Malaysia and Singapore. The Straits Timesis currently the most widely-read newspaper in Singapore and one of the oldest English-language newspapers in the region. It was established in 1845 by Catchick Moses (Movsessian). Armenians were significant landowners in Singapore and constructed many buildings in the city such as Stamford House which still stands. Singapore has an Armenian Street as well as three other streets named after Armenians: Galistan Avenue, Sarkies Road and St Martin’s Drive. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af5b1aff79392c1ef08a8a5/1526122822573-Q4KOK9NK736CY7CQTXHT/7.+Dhaka+54x65.jpg Southeast Asia Armenian Church, Dacca, Ararat Sarkissian, 2018, oil on canvas, 65 x 54 cm Armenian merchants from New Julfa settled in (modern) Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka in the 18th century and made their fortunes in the jute and leather trade. The Armenian district of Armanitola lies at the heart of Dhaka and became the city’s center for trade. Armenians in Dhaka have made a number of contributions to the development of Dhaka’s urban life. G. M. Shircore introduced the Ticca-Garry, or horse carriage, which became a popular mode of transport in the city and Armenian merchants opened western-style shops trading in European and British goods. In 1848, Armenian merchant and zamindar (landowner) Nicholas Pogose opened the Pogose School, the first private school of the city, which operates to this day as one of the most prestigious schools in Dhaka. The Armenian Apostolic Church of the Holy Resurrection was built in 1781 on the site of a wooden vicarage near the cemetery on Armenian Street, in the district of Armanitola. After the Church's construction, a clock tower was erected. The clock could be heard four miles away, and people synchronised their watches with the sound of its bell. Unfortunately, it does not exist now, but the Church remains one of the most culturally significant sights of Dhaka. https://www.armenianstreet.org/collaboration daily 0.75 2018-05-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5af5b1aff79392c1ef08a8a5/1526058236407-V8PX5GKAGDIQZ1ZFTD7G/Ararat+Sarkissian.jpg Collaboration