On September 15th, 2022, on the wall of building No 32, Tigran Mets Avenue, Yerevan, was placed a memorial board in memory of Konstantin Paffenholtz (1893-1983), a renowned scientist, honored geologist of the ASSR, academician of the Academy of Sciences of the ASSR, and professor, who lived in that house.
With the support of RA geologists and mining engineers, Institute of Geology of RA NAS, RA Union of Miners and Metallurgists, as well as sponsorship of “Mining and Metallurgical Institute” CJSC of “Vallex” group companies the installation of this memorial plaque took place on the eve of the 130th anniversary of the scientist’s birth. The ceremonial opening was on October 29th.
Paffenholtz made significant contributions to the organization, conduct, and classification of geological studies in Armenia and neighboring republics. He compiled the geological map of the Caucasus and Armenia after 35 years of geological studies in the region, following the footsteps of Abikh, Miller, Melnikov, and Ulit – the founders of geological studies of Armenia and the Caucasus.
Paffenholtz’s works covered various aspects of geology, including stratigraphy, tectonics, magmatism, volcanism, seismology, hydrogeology, mapping and minerals. His works placed Armenia in the Alpine folded zone and made regional comparisons with Armenia and the adjacent parts of the Caucasus, as well as with countries in the structure of the Earth’s Mediterranean zone.
1941-1946 he worked out the geological stratigraphy of Armenia and Transcaucasia, confirmed the presence of sediments of all three divisions of the Jurassic period in the territory of Armenia. Paffenholtz is the author of many maps. His geological map of the Caucasus, as a unique sample of geological cartography, was exhibited at the 20th International Geological Congress in Mexico (1956).