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| source: openarmenia.org |
Tsitsernakaberd is a memorial complex dedicated to the memory of victims of the Armenian genocide of 1915 and located on the hills of the same name, which is translated as “fortress of swallows”. The composition of the complex is located in the eastern part of the park, near the banks of the Razdan River.
The construction of the complex was organized in 1965, 50 years later after the horrific events happened on the territory of modern Turkey. From the end of XIX century the ruler of the Ottoman Empire began the persecution of Armenians, living in different regions of the country. As well as in the case with Jews in Nazi Germany, Turks were angry that the Armenians were successful in trade and other areas, and occupied an important place in society, and also were not Muslims. And in 1894, Abdul-Hamid began first extermination of Armenians. The genocide reached apogee in 1915 when on April 24 the new rulers of Turkey commenced the deportation of Armenians from Istanbul and a wave of mass killings held across the country. Altogether, according to various estimates, the victims of the Armenian Genocide numbered from 1 to 2 million people.
The memorial Tsitsernakaberd was completed in 1967 and became the main place of memory and mourning for the dead for Armenians. The complex consists of 44-meter stele forwarded to the sky and divided into two parts by a crack running from bottom to top, the symbolic grave consisting of 12 concrete slabs around the eternal flame burning at a depth of 1.5 meters and the 100-meter memorial wall, with names of all the cities and towns where massacres had taken place. All elements of the complex represent the features of the Armenian Genocide: the broken stele symbolizes the divided people of Armenia, 12 plates - 12 areas in which the extermination had place.
The Armenian Genocide Museum opened its doors in 1995. It is located close to the memorial and displays photographs and publications of witnesses of Armenian genocide. Colose to the museum there is an alley with trees planted by world leaders, who visited Tsitsernakaberd.
Every year on April 24 hundreds of thousands of people come here to commemorate the victims of genocide and to lay flowers at the eternal flame. Thanks to the efforts of the Armenian Diaspora this day is entered into the history of many countries and all over the world there are monuments to those who lost their innocent lives.
