Matenadaran, a center for the preservation and study of ancient manuscripts and documents, one of the richest centers for the preservation of manuscripts in the world.
It has one of the largest collections of manuscripts and medieval books in the world. About 23,000 manuscripts, charms, fragments and 300,000 archival documents are preserved here. Every year, Matenadaran has about 50,000 visitors.
It is the largest repository of Armenian manuscripts. It was established in 1921, on the basis of Etchmiadzin Library, established in the 5th century, and was the first scientific research institution in Armenia. Previously, it was called the Culture-Historical Institute.
Matenadaran was registered in 1997 in the list of world memory of UNESCO. It is now considered “one of the most important places for the preservation and development of national memory”.