Nersisian School | |
Location: | 1824-1905: Soldatskiy Bazar Square |
City: | Tiflis |
Province: | Tiflis Governorate |
Country: | Russian Empire |
Religion: | Armenian Apostolic |
Founder: | Catholicos Nerses V |
Gender: | Male |
Grades: | 3 |
Language: | Armenian |
Opened: | 1824 |
Closed: | 1924 |
Enrollment: | 80 |
Nersisian School (hy|Ներսիսեան դպրոց, Nersisian Dprots; Georgian: ნერსისიანის სემინარია, Georgian: Nersisyanis seminaria; ru|Нерсесяновское училище|translit=Nersisyanovskoye učilišče) was an Armenian higher education institution in the city of Tiflis, then Russian Empire (now Tbilisi, Georgia). It operated exactly for one century, from 1824 to 1924. It was founded by Bishop Nerses V Ashtaraketsi, Armenian primate of the diocese of Georgia (later Catholicos of All Armenians Nerses V), after whom it was named.[1]
In the 19th century Tiflis (Tbilisi) was a major Armenian cultural center with a large Armenian population. Numerous Armenian schools, various publications, drama associations and societies, charities and nonprofit organizations functioned in the city. The Nersisian School officially opened in 1824 and throughout its existence it had a unique role in Eastern Armenian education.[2]
In 1905, the school was destroyed in a bombing. Afterward, Alexander Mantashev solved all the school's financial problems with the designing and building of the school by a Russian-Armenian military architect Nikita Lazarev. The façade of the building was built of an orange stone from the Tsater (Lori) and Karahunj (Zangezur) villages. Alexander Mantashev spent 370,000 rubles (444 kg/gold) during the construction of the new building. In front of the school stood statues of Nerses Ashtaraketsi and Alexander Mantashev.
The following is the list of notable alumni of the Nersisian School with the year of graduation in parentheses:
. The Heritage of Armenian Literature: From the eighteenth century to modern times. 3. 2005. Wayne State University Press. Detroit. 9780814332214. Agop Jack Hacikyan. Basmajian, Gabriel . Franchuk, Edward S. . Ouzounian, Nourhan . 67–68.