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Project Year: 1965
Construction Start: 1966
Completion: 1967
Project Authors: Architects A. Tarkhanyan, S. Kalashyan; Structural Engineer S. Baghdasaryan

The “Egern” Memorial is dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire in 1915. According to its creators, the memorial was intended to “serve as a requiem for the innocent victims and, at the same time, as a covenant for us, the survivors; it should be understood by everyone, regardless of nationality or religion; and finally, it should become a center for documenting and publishing the history of the Armenian Genocide.”

The monument is situated on the Tsitsernakaberd hill (“Swallow Fortress”), offering a panoramic view of Armenia’s capital and the biblical Mount Ararat. The composition consists of three main elements: the memorial, the obelisk, and a wall, whose dimensions and placements were meticulously designed according to specific geometric principles.

A 110-meter-long wide avenue leads to a spacious stylobate measuring 52 by 87 meters. At the center of the stylobate lies the memorial, formed by twelve basalt pylons leaning towards the eternal flame. The stylobate is elevated 1.5 meters above the level of the avenue, creating an illusion of the memorial rising as one approaches, emphasizing its monumental nature.

To the left of the avenue leading to the memorial is a long wall inscribed with the historical names of Armenian regions in Western Armenia, whose populations were annihilated during the genocide. To the right of the memorial stands a split, 44-meter-high obelisk symbolizing the rebirth of the historically divided Armenian nation and its future reunification. Inside the obelisk are light sources that illuminate it at night through vertical openings.

The lower diameter of the memorial’s pylons is 30 meters, while the upper diameter is 15 meters. The pylons are 7.5 meters high, with an outer tilt of 45 degrees and an inner angle of 60 degrees. Between the pylons are steps leading to the mourning hall, located 1.5 meters below the stylobate level. This hall, 24 meters in diameter, features an eternal flame housed in a bronze bowl within a massive stone ring. The flame is surrounded by a rosette made of hammered copper with a diameter of 5 meters. The mourning hall creates an atmosphere of isolation from the outside world, where the somber melody playing in the background deepens the sense of sorrow and reflection.

After the establishment of Soviet power in Armenia in 1921, the topic of the Armenian Genocide was suppressed by the ruling Communist Party. This “conspiracy of silence” was broken in April 1965, when mass peaceful protests took place in Yerevan to mark the 50th anniversary of the tragedy. The decision to build a memorial to the genocide victims was made by the Soviet leadership under pressure from the pan-national Armenian movement.

Initially, the Armenian government invited seven architects to participate in the competition: Jim Torosyan, Rafael Israelyan, Spartak Kntehtsyan, Stepan Kyurkchyan, Makabe Manukyan, Sarkis Gurzadyan, and Arthur Tarkhanyan. However, none of the proposed projects satisfied the professional jury, which felt the designs failed to embody the theme of the nation’s rebirth. Consequently, an open competition was announced, attracting 78 submissions, but the jury once again struggled to select a winner. Eventually, under direct involvement from the national leadership, the winning design was chosen from eight finalists. The selected project was submitted by architects Arthur Tarkhanyan and Sashur Kalashyan.

The construction of the memorial at Tsitsernakaberd became a national event, culminating in its grand opening on November 29, 1967. It has since become a pilgrimage site for Armenians worldwide and a must-visit for foreign dignitaries and delegations.

Four years after Armenia gained independence, on April 24, 1995, the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute was inaugurated as the fourth component of the memorial dedicated to the genocide victims. Its architects were Sashur Kalashyan and Lyudmila Mkrtchyan.