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Born: March 18, 1864]]
Toros Toramanian (; 1864 – March 1, 1934) was a prominent Armenian architect and architectural historian. He is considered "the father of Armenian architectural historiography." Christina Maranci credited him with "establishing the practical foundation for the study of Armenian architecture with his "extensive field work, measurements, plans, and photographs."
Toramanian's scholarly work paved the way for the scholar, Josef Strzygowski, who, after a long and detailed study of the Christian architecture, concluded famously, albeit controversially, that Armenian architecture had had a significant role in the development of Byzantine and late Western European architecture.Varjabedian, Hermine (1969) The Great 4: Mesrob, Komidas, Antranik, Toramanian, Beirut, p. 43 In the chaos of the Turkish–Armenian War of 1920, Toramanian lost a considerable amount of his writings and studies.
With these lines, Toramanian hinted that until the beginning of the 20th century, Armenian architecture was not recognized as a distinct school with an independent architectural style. In his "Zvartnots Church" article, Toramanian wrote, 'Unfortunately, I did not come across any reference to Armenian architecture in the section dedicated to architectural styles. Therefore, I did not imagine the existence of an Armenian style.' It was for this reason that Toramanian decided to stay in Ani and personally study the stone heritage of the Armenian people. The realization of this decision was facilitated by the presence of the famous Russian-Georgian archaeologist Nikolai Marr in Ani, who was conducting excavations for the second time. Toramanian received financial support from Mar.
Excavations resumed under the leadership of Toramanian. He conducted a detailed study of the construction of the temple, the results of which he published in 1905 in the journal Murch, published in Tiflis, in an article entitled "Zvartnots Church". In the article, Toramanian proposed his reconstruction of the temple, suggesting it was a three-story domed structure with a flat plan. Toramanian's theory was met with suspicion by Armenian society, sparking many disputes, simply because such a structure had never been seen before, and it was extremely unusual for that time.
The disputes finally ended when Marr discovered a statue of King Gagik holding a model of the temple during excavations of St. Gregory's Church in Gagikashen, Ani. Thus, it was confirmed that Toramanian accurately reproduced the volume-spatial structure of the building by studying the plan of Zvartnots, as historical sources indicated that Gagikashen would be a replication of Zvartnots.
As a researcher, Toramanian made measurements, took photographs, and reconstructed many architectural monuments during his prolific years. He also authored numerous articles but did not manage to complete any books. The books published after his death are compilations of his works.
In 1921, he gave lectures on the history of ancient Armenian architecture at Yerevan State University.
Toramanian passed away in 1934 in Yerevan and was interred at the Komitas Pantheon.
Toramanian made an extremely important contribution to the international study of Armenian architecture. The extensive work he accomplished, despite numerous challenges, can be compared to the efforts of an entire scientific research institution. He was not only a skilled specialist but also a dedicated Armenian armed with infinite love for Armenian architecture. For his significant contributions to Armenian culture, he is rightly considered the father of the scientific study of Armenian architecture.
Through his works, Toramanian revolutionized the history of world architecture, presenting the origins and developmental periods of Armenian architecture.
A prize named after Toros Toramanian has been established in Armenia.
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