Construction of a cafe near Garni Temple has seriously discontented the public.
According to Pre-Parliament public interest group, several dozens of people visited Garni, collected the debris in bags and delivered it to Yerevan leaving the debris near the building of the Culture Ministry. Activists threaten with more serious steps unless the construction is stopped. Activists Yeghia Nersisyan and Gevorg Safary6an were taken to the Police for soiling the territory of the Ministry and then set free in 1.5 hour.
Earlier, Vladimir Poghosyan, the Head of the State Non-Commercial Organization Historical-Cultural Musem-Reserve, said that no construction would be launched, as the cafe would be consisting of tables and chairs only. He said that the menu would be very modest: fruits, vegetables, homemade sweet Armenian gata, and the proceeds would be investment in preservation of the Temple. Nevertheless, the idea of the cafe has aroused public criticism in blogs and social media.
Historical and architectural monument Garni Temple is located near the village of Garni. It is the only Pagan and Hellenistic monument preserved in the territory of Armenia. The pagan temple of Garni was built in the 2nd half of the 1st century. It is supposed that the temple was dedicated to Mitra, the God of Sun.