Exploring an Abandoned Hotel

The first time I saw this mosaic was in G. Mattu’s post, and he was the one who guided me there. I was so happy to finally visit this place and see the magical mosaic by Armenian painter, Honored Artist of the USSR (1983), Garnik Smbatyan (1929—2003). An old road led us closer, and finally we spotted the hidden complex, surrounded by trees on the shore of the lake.

Architect: Vache Atadjanyan

Structural Engineer: Karlen Kazaryan

The complex consists of two three-story residential buildings with 116 beds each, a nine-story residential building with a capacity of 320 beds, and a club-canteen building. All structures are connected by a reception and administrative block located on the ground floor of the nine-story building.

The load-bearing structures of the three-story buildings are transverse walls, while the remaining buildings are based on a prefabricated reinforced-concrete frame. The façades are clad with tiles and stone made of felsite and local tuff.

The project was developed in 1968. Construction was carried out between 1970 and 1981.

The abandoned hotel was an architectural marvel...

From time to time, guards are present, but that day there was no one around. Getting in was easy; early explorers (hopefully not looters) had made a way in. We sneaked in, and I saw the magic! The gigantic mosaic left me speechless. This is what I look for during my explorations. Some are looking for old machinery, documents, but what drives me is her majesty art.

The Birth of Astghik by Garnik Smbatyan (1982)

In pagan Armenia, Astghik was originally the goddess of the creation of heaven and earth. Over time, her image evolved, and she became primarily associated with love, beauty, and fertility. In the mosaic, the moment of Astghik’s birth is shown: she stands nude, while nymphs approach her with a cloth to cover her nakedness. The artist was inspired by The Birth of Venus, a painting by the Italian artist Sandro Botticelli, probably executed in the mid-1480s. It depicts the goddess Venus arriving at the shore after her birth, when she had emerged from the sea fully-grown (called Venus Anadyomene and often depicted in art).

The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli

Smbatyan was a prolific and talented painter whose works are exhibited in the National Gallery of Armenia and can be found in private collections in Armenia and abroad. The mosaic was huge, and the low light, as well as columns of the building, did not allow for a good quality photo. I did my best but hope to return when having a better camera.

A fresco copy of Ivan Aivazovsky’s View of Constantinople by Moonlight on the wall of the hotel

For comparison here is the original painting! Ivan Aivazovsky "View of Constantinople by moonlight"

We moved forward, exploring further, and found ourselves in the cinema hall, but there was nothing left behind. On each floor, when going up the stairs, one could see murals, copies of famous paintings.

I’m Suren, a professional urban explorer in Armenia. I offer unique urbex tours to abandoned, hidden, and off-the-map places you won’t find in guidebooks. Want a custom itinerary? Contact me on WhatsApp or Telegram.