Armenian poet Hovhannes Tumanyan’s house-museum offered for $70,000 in Tbilisi

Renowned Armenian poet Hovhannes Tumanyan’s house is now offered for sale in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi, the price having risen from $25,000 to $70,000.

At a news conference on Wednesday, the poet's grand-daugter, Irna Safrastbekyan, thanked the media outlets for their interest in the topic.

“The printed photos are not the right pictures,” she said. “The portray Vernatun [the attic of the Tbilisi house where members of the literary society Vernatun used to gather], not the house where Tumanyan lived.”

Part of the house belongs to Tumanyan’s grand granddaughter, Alyona; the other part – about 120sq. m. - is owned by a Georgian businessman, Mr Lezhava.

Safrastbekyan said Lezhava is an honest man who does not want to even enter the house; he needs only the sum which was initially $25,000.

“Lezhava is right. He needs money so he sells the territory,” she said, adding that she had even sought help from an Armenian official who, however, did not appear to have enough money to buy the house.

Safrastbekyan said the entire building could be purchased, with the first storey serving as Tumanyan’s house and the second - as an embassy venue etc.

The part of the house belonging to the Georgian family is now under repair. Safrastbekyan said she is hopeful the problem will find a solution.