ARMENIA FAREWELL: ARAM KHACHATURIAN AND THE GENOCIDE MEMORIAL

 

August 31 was my last full day in Armenia and my time was devoted to my host city of Yerevan. Throughout my stay, I had gotten to know Yerevan quite well, its pulse and rhythm and its many charms. The pink glow of the vibrant Republic Square greeted me each night back to the hotel after a journey to the county’s mountains.

Within its ancient walls I discovered many bookshops, arts and crafts galleries as well as authentic Armenian cuisine and a sampling of Armenia’s version of international cuisine through a Mexican restaurant (Los Pueblos) and an Italian eatery (Limone).

Before I left, however, I felt I ought to visit Aram Khachaturian Museum before the highlight of the day, the Genocide Memorial. Museums are often on my “maybe” list when I visit places as I prioritize absorbing myself in the daily life of the citizens but I had grown rather fond of Republic Square and after days visiting ancient sites I was ready for a stroll through galleries.

                                                         Aram Khachaturian Museum

Aram Khachaturian is not a substitute for discovering the villages and ruins in the mountains, but it is does offer a concise and comprehensive overview of Armenian history, from its prehistory (it contains the oldest shoe ever unearthed) through the creation of its alphabet to its contemporary artists. In all, I spent more time in the museum than I had anticipated. Good museums have the ability to absorb even guarded visitors into their collective pull and Aram Khachaturian was an informative journey.

                                                              Artifacts in the museum

By the early afternoon I began to make my way to the hill of Tsitsernakaberd which since 1967 has been the site of the Armenian Genocide Memorial complex. The first sight to greet visitors is the 44-meter tall Memorial Column consisting of two spheres representing the rebirth of Armenia after its darkest hour. The Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, first opened in 1995, was closed on that day but the Temple of Eternity, an encirclement made of twelve stone slabs curved inward guarding the eternal flame in the center, was a sobering experience. It is the epicenter of the complex accompanied by the Memorial Wall, honoring the names from around the world who answered Armenia’s cause and the soothing Alley of Trees to remember the victims.

                                                       The Armenian Genocide Memorial

                            

                                                                 The Temple of Eternity


The Armenian Genocide Memorial was not only the fitting end to the day but the only right way to end the Armenian journey. It memorializes the tragedy that almost eradicated a culture, a history and a people. But, seeing it especially at the end of my visit, I felt it more as a testament to the resiliency and unity of a people, a people and a tiny nation that throughout all has continued and will continue to overcome. A memorial to the lives massacred, but a beacon of hope for the lives still prevailing.

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