About half of the more than 100 drawings included in the book were successfully exhibited in Yerevan these days at the Armenian General Benevolent Union’s Armenian representation. It was dedicated to the 120th anniversary of that charitable organization and, in addition to the exhibition of paintings, also included a lecture on the topic “Istanbul and the Armenians”.

Speaking in front of more than a hundred art lovers, Levon Lachikyan spoke in detail, on the one hand, about the place and role of Armenians in the fate of that city spread on the shores of the Bosphorus, and on the other hand, touched upon the fact that Constantinople is the “capital of Armenian culture.” The speaker used specific examples to tell about the undeniable contribution and achievements made by our compatriots to the life of that amazing settlement, which, along with amazement, also inspire pride.

The presented works depicted, through delicate lines and restrained use of watercolors, the historical walls and fortresses of Constantinople-Istanbul, the narrow streets and old wooden houses, backyards and modern skyscrapers, churches and mosques, the magnificent and Armenian-built palaces adorning the shores of the Bosphorus, the cemeteries so characteristic of the city's panorama, as well as the Armenian-holy Gnal and the enchanting views of the Big Islands.

Among the visitors to the exhibition were a group of lecturers and students of the Ijevan branch of YSU, as well as numerous Armenians from Istanbul who had arrived in Armenia, including the famous singer Sibil, Nora Dziumbyushyan, daughter of the famous poet Zareh Khrakhuni, bibliographer Garo Abrahamyan, editor of the “Marmara” daily newspaper Naira Mkrtchyan-Suzmen, and many others. According to their general description, this exhibition was a unique tour “through the neighborhoods of Istanbul” through drawings.