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Lazarevsky Institute of Oriental Languages, nd.

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money Start Price:8,000.00 USD Estimated At:10,000.00 USD
Lazarevsky Institute of Oriental Languages, nd.
Prize Medal. GOLD. 42mm. 43.65. Unsigned. Diakov 1147.1 (R5), Sm 1060. Bare head of Nicholas II left / Six-line legend. Extremely rare. Friction hairlines. Good Lustre. Uncirculated. Founded by the wealthy Lazarev (Lazarian) family in 1815, the Lazarev Institute of Oriental Languages (Lazarevi arevelyan lezuneri institut) specialized in Eastern studies with a focus on Armenia and became the principal cultural center of the Armenian diaspora in Moscow. In 1827, control of the school passed to the Ministry of Public Education and it was remodeled as a special gymnasium with language courses in Arabic, Armenian, Persian and Turkish (with Georgian later added). Upgraded to a lyceum in 1848, the school began to train Armenian school teachers and priests, then became central to the training of Russian civil servants and interpreters. Between 1919 and 1920, the school was renamed the Armenian Institute, and finally the Moscow Institute of Oriental Studies. Located on Armyansky Lane, the building now houses the Embassy of Armenia.