YEREVAN, OCTOBER 21, ARMENPRESS. The group of the Armenian and Italian expeditionists launched activities in the Kobayr Monastery of Lori to save the fabulous frescos from the devastating rainwater. The Scientific Worker of the Archeology and Ethnology Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia Arthur Petrosyan stated this in a conversation with “Armenpress”. Italian expert Stephano Volta underscored that the ongoing activities are of a certain importance as there is an imminent danger of losing exquisite frescos.

Kobayr is a 12th-century Armenian monastery located in the village Kober within Lori marz, Armenia. The monastery was built on a shelf of a gorge by the princes of the junior Bagratuni branch, Kyurikids in 1171. The monastery was later acquired by the Zakarids and converted into a Chalcedonian monastery. The inscriptions in the monastery are written in Armenian and Georgian. Prince Shahnashah Zakarian is buried in the monastery. A bell tower in the middle of the complex was built in 1279 to house the tombs of Mkhargryel Zakarian and his wife Vaneni. The monastery is currently undergoing renovation funded by the government of Armenia with the assistance of the government of Italy. The ruins of the main church in the monastery contain frescoes of Christ and the twelve apostles as well as the Church Fathers and other Christian figures.