SQUARES AND PARKS

1936, and 1960s

State index: 1.11.19

Memorial wall of the Pantheon: architect Stepan Kurkchyan

Sculptor: Ruzan Kurkchyan

Tombstones’ architects: Artur Tarkhanyan, Stepan Kurkchyan, Romeo Julhakian, Sashur Kalashyan, Grigor Aghababyan, Jim Torosyan, Aslan Mkhitaryan and others

Sculptors: Ara Harutyunyan, Ghukas Chubaryan, Ferdinand Arakelyan, Ara Shiraz, Getik Baghdasaryan, Sarkis Baghdasaryan, Emin Petrosyan, Levon Tokmajyan and others

The Pantheon of Komitas Park is located on the left bank of Hrazdan River, in the upper section, at Arshakunyats Avenue 28/5. Famous Armenian scientists, cultural and social-political actors are buried here. The park is demarcated from the residential area by a western boundary wall constructed from tuff stone, while its northern and southern borders are defined by the park’s expanse.

Until the 1930s, the area of the park was occupied by the old Mler public cemetery of the city, where not only Armenian but also Russian decedent were buried. The heroes of the battle of Sardarapat (May, 1918) were also honored here in the fraternal grave. In 1900, a small, elegant, domed church with a cross-shaped plan was constructed based on the design by architect Vasili Mirzoyan. The church, is presented as “Церковь Кладбищенская” on the main plan of Yerevan created by Boris Mehrabyan between 1906 and 1911, and which was part of the cemetery. The church was demolished in 1935. Its foundations were discovered during the construction of the fountains later built in the park.

In 1930, by the decision of the Executive Committee of the Yerevan City Council, the cemetery was closed, and a park was established there. According to the government’s statement, the relatives of the deceased moved the remains of their relatives to other places. In the spring of the same year, with the initiative of the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Armenia, Aghasi Khanjyan, a part of the park, around the grave of the poet Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, was transformed into the “Cemetery of Writers and Artists.” Since 1935, after the burial of writer Alexander Shirvanzade, the cemetery has been named “Pantheon of Writers and Cultural Figures.”

In 1936, one year after his death, the famous Armenian musicologist, composer Komitas was reburied here. From 1936 to 1957 and until the death of Avetik Isahakyan, the Pantheon was closed, and no burials were conducted.

In 1955 in October, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Komitas’s death, a statue of Komitas was erected in the pantheon (it was the first statue in the cemetery: architect - Grigor Aghababyan, sculptor - Ara Harutyunyan), after which the park was named after Komitas, and in 1961, after the funeral of the famous actor Hrachya Nersisyan, the pantheon was named “Park-Pantheon after Komitas.”

In 1960s the improvement of the pantheon has started (architect: Stepan Kyurkchyan). In 1969 the two-factor, sculptured northern wall of the pantheon was built (architect: St. Kyurkchyan, sculptor: Ruzan Kyurkchyan). During the construction works, the remains of the prominent Armenians buried in different parts of the park were also relocated to the pantheon. Additionally, new tombstones were crafted, and enhancements were made to the graves and surrounding area.

In the 1960s, the renovation of the pantheon began (architect: Stepan Kyurkchyan). The tufa-made, carved northern wall of the pantheon was built in 1969 (architect: St. Kyurkchya, sculptor: Ruzan Kyurkchyan). During the construction, the remains of notable Armenians buried throughout the park were relocated to the pantheon. Additionally, new tombstones were prepared, and the graves and surrounding area were enhanced.

In 1993, on the initiative of RA Minister of Internal Affairs, Vano Siradeghyan, and with the funds of Yerevan Bread Factory No. 5, the western wall was constructed to separate the pantheon from residential houses. In 1998-1999 the southern border wall of the cemetery was built. In the same period, the partition of the pantheon and the concrete stage were demolished. The pool was filled with soil.

In 2005, extensive repair and enhancement works were conducted on the territory of the Pantheon.

Adjacent to the Pantheon, there is acting Museum after General Andranik (in 2006), in the park area, not far from the Pantheon, one can also find the Museum-Institute after Komitas (in 2015, architect: Artur Meschyan).

Among the tombstones of the Pantheon the paving slabs are predominating. Also, there are tombs, mausoleums adorned with bas-reliefs, and unique bell-shaped monuments crafted with distinctive architectural solutions. The construction materials included tuff, granite, basalt, travertine, marble, labradorite, and bronze.

The following prominent individuals are interred in the Pantheon:

Figures of Armenian science - archaeologist, folklorist, ethnographer Yervand Lalayan, historian, writer, literary critic Leo (Arakel Babakhanyan), engineer-hydraulic technician, constructor of Yerevan’s first water supply Sahak Lisitsyan, historian, philologist Hakob Manandyan (the grave was moved to the Pantheon area in 2001, from Abovyan Street from the yard of Teacher’s Seminary) and others.

Figures of Armenian literature - writer, poet, Avetik Isahakyan, writer Stepan Zoryan, poet, playwright Petros Duryan (relics of his skull are enshrined in the southern wall), poetess Silva Kaputikyan, writer Alexander Shirvanzade, poet Hovhannes Shiraz, poet Hamo Sahyan, American-Armenian writer William Saroyan, poet Hovhannes Hovhannisyan and others.

Figures in the field of Armenian music - songwriter, musicologist, band leader, composer, founder of the Armenian National Music School Komitas (Soghomon Soghomonyan), opera singer, “The Nightingale of Armenia” Gohar Gasparyan, songwriter, band leader, leading composer Aram Khachatryan, songwriters Romanos and Spiridon Melikyans and others.

Armenian painters, architects - painters Vrtanes Akhikyan, Yeghishe Tadevosyan, Martiros Saryan, Mariam Aslamazyan, the great master of Armenian national architecture Toros Toramanian, architect Alexander Tamanyan and others.

Armenian cinema and theater figures - Hovhannes Abelyan, Vahram Papazyan, Vardan Achemyan, Hrachya Nersisyan, Sos Sargsyan, Mher Mkrtchyan, Sergey Parajanov, Arus Asryan and others.

Armenian political figures - Chairman of the RA National Assembly, RA national hero Karen Demirchyan, RA Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan and others.

Outside the territory of the Pantheon, near the central entrance of the park, stands the monument to the great Armenian poetess Shushanik Kurghinian in its original location.

The Pantheon, named after Komitas, stands as a monument of pan-Armenian significance, serving as a tribute to the memory of the great Armenians. It has great educational and historical value.

The Scientific Research Center of Historical and Cultural of Heritage” SNCO

Yerevan Municipality