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Léon Gurekian, during his last journey in Turkey, in may 1921, resigned himself to the fact that there was no possibility for his family to return to theirs origins. All the Gurekian family members living in Turkey were killed by the Turks during the massacres of 1915 and all the properties confiscated by the Turkish government.
Upon his return to Italy, he decided to establish his family in Asolo, where he had passed long periods and especially during the first World War.
At first he tried to buy a house but with no success. Then he bought two hills, cultivated for wine, and a top of one he built his house calling it "Villa Ararat" (Mountain Ararat is the symbol of Armenia and also represents the biblical mountain after the deluge).
The construction of "Villa Ararat" was completed in 1924.
Armen Gurekian lives there and the Gurekian family members continue to use it when they come back to their birthplace.
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