YEREVAN. - The Armenia Government has invoked eminent domain over the Kilkyans house on Yerevan’4/5 Pushkin Street and may soon demolish its cellar. In fact, this is one of the oldest wine cellars in Yerevan.

When the Kilikyans acquired the house in 1890, the cellar had already been equipped, one of the current owners of the house, Karen Grigoryan, told Armenian News – NEWS.am correspondent. “Three jars were walled up in the tufa. The grapes were brought on donkeys,” he added.

In the Soviet times, the house of the Kilikyans was included in the list of historical monument and was preserved by the state. And the current government is ready to demolish it.

The house owners think struggling for its preservation is useless. However, they have filed a claim against the “Local Developers” company, which acquired the land, demanding to increase the cost of the land.

”The state assessed the historical monument as slums and the compensation is several times lower than its real value,” Karen Grigoryan said.