Soviet Palace of Culture and Sports

The Soviet Palace of Culture and Sports in Jermuk is a giant five-story complex on the shore of Lake Sarnakhpyur, built from 1969 to 1985 according to the design of architect Martin Mikayelyan. Long-time residents know this building as "KurZal," where the sports wing housed a full-fledged pool with diving towers, while the atrium spaces were adorned with monumental bas-reliefs, winter gardens, and busts of cultural figures. Having been in private ownership for some time without a completed renovation, the palace is now in a state of disrepair, preserving a powerful cinematic effect of frozen time in the empty pool basins and colossal halls.