UNIQUE PLACES

The Armenian Genocide Memorial is dedicated to the memory of 1.5 million Armenians who were killed during the genocide committed by the Young Turk government throughout the territory of Ottoman Turkey (Ottoman Empire).

1967

Since 1967, when its construction was completed, the Armenian Genocide Memorial has become an integral part of Yerevan's architecture. Located on a hill and standing out from the general landscape, the memorial is in perfect harmony with its surroundings, and the simple outlines of the structure convey the spirit of the nation that survived the genocide. The architects of the memorial complex are Artur Tarkhanyan and Sashur Kalashyan.

The memorial complex was built in accordance with the decision of the Government of Soviet Armenia on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The initiator of the organization of events and the construction of the memorial complex was Yakov Zarobyan, the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Armenia. The opening was carried out by the newly appointed First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Armenia Anton Kochinyan on November 29, 1967.

The construction was carried out by the "Yerkhimshin" trust. The works were supervised by Artush Ordukhanyan.

The memorial complex covers an area of ​​4,500 square meters and consists of three main structures: the Memorial Wall (length: 100 m), on which are engraved the names of the Armenian-populated settlements in Turkey where massacres and deportations of the Armenian population were organized, the Temple of Eternity with 12 pillars and an eternal flame (the height of the pillars inside is 9 m, outside is 7 m), the "Revived Armenia" memorial column, which is a two-part monument symbolizing the revival of the Armenian people, 40 m high.

The memorial complex also includes the Armenian Genocide Museum (1995, architects: Artur Tarkhanyan, Sashur Kalashyan, Lyudmila Mkrtchyan, sculptor: Ferdinand Arakelyan), the “France Publicly Recognizes the Armenian Genocide” memorial column (2002), the “Mother Rising from the Ashes” sculpture (2002, sculptor: Rustam Avetisyan, the copy was donated by the Eskijyan and Lazaryan families (USA), the original is kept in the “Ararat Eskijyan” Museum in Los Angeles), etc. In 1988-1990, cross-stones dedicated to the victims of the Armenian massacres in the Azerbaijani cities of Sumgait (1988), Kirovabad (Gandzak, 1988) and Baku (1990) were installed on the territory of the memorial complex. In 1990-1992, the remains of five freedom fighters who died during the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflicts were laid to rest in front of the memorial wall: RA National Hero Movses Gorgisyan (1961-1990), Samvel Gevorgyan (1950-1992), Edik (Eduard) Markosyan (1946-1990), Mushegh Mkhoyan (Vozhd, 1951-1991) and Yervand Saghumyan (1958-1990).

1996 At the back of the memorial wall are jars filled with soil taken from the graves of foreign public, political, scientific and cultural figures who raised their voices against the Armenian Genocide and the atrocities of the Turkish authorities: Anatole France (French writer, Nobel Prize laureate), Armin Wegner (German poet, publicist), Johannes Lepsius (German orientalist, public figure, doctor of theology), Fridtjof Nansen (Norwegian polar explorer, scientist, diplomat, High Commissioner for Refugees in the League of Nations), Maria Jacobsen (Danish missionary, doctor, distinguished by her work with Armenian orphans) and others.

The Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex is one of the best memorial complexes dedicated to the Armenian Genocide, where hundreds of thousands of Armenians from Armenia and various diaspora communities visit every year on April 24 since 1968 to commemorate the innocent victims of the Armenian Genocide. Official delegations from various foreign countries also visit the memorial complex to pay their respects.