Armenian Genocide Memorial in Larnaca
Encyclopedia
The Armenian Genocide Memorial in Larnaca
, Cyprus
, is a monument dedicated to the martyrs and survivors of the Armenian Genocide
of 1915-1923. It is located at Larnaca
’s seafront and marks the spot where thousands of Armenian
refugees fleeing the atrocities of the Genocide first landed in Cyprus (at Larnaca Port). Its position is adjacent to the entrance to Larnaca’s present-day marina.
The Memorial also represents the gratitude of the Armenian nation towards the people of Cyprus for their generosity and assistance to the Armenian refugees.
and cypress
trees. The four granite plaques at the base of the sculpture (describing the monument in Greek, English, Armenian and Turkish) were made by the government of Armenia. The monument itself was sculpted by the Greek artist Georgios Kalakallas ,.
The square in front of the Memorial was funded by the Kalaydjian Foundation and links the Armenian Genocide Memorial with Larnaca’s main promenade .
On 24 November 2006, during the state visit to Cyprus of the President of Armenia, the Memorial’s foundation stone was laid by President Robert Kocharyan.
Larnaca
Larnaca, is the third largest city on the southern coast of Cyprus after Nicosia and Limassol. It has a population of 72,000 and is the island's second largest commercial port and an important tourist resort...
, Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, is a monument dedicated to the martyrs and survivors of the Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
of 1915-1923. It is located at Larnaca
Larnaca
Larnaca, is the third largest city on the southern coast of Cyprus after Nicosia and Limassol. It has a population of 72,000 and is the island's second largest commercial port and an important tourist resort...
’s seafront and marks the spot where thousands of Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
refugees fleeing the atrocities of the Genocide first landed in Cyprus (at Larnaca Port). Its position is adjacent to the entrance to Larnaca’s present-day marina.
The Memorial also represents the gratitude of the Armenian nation towards the people of Cyprus for their generosity and assistance to the Armenian refugees.
Creation
The creation of the Memorial was a joint project between the governments of Cyprus and Armenia and was initiated by the then Representative of the Armenian Community in Cyprus Bedros Kalaydjian . The Memorial was funded principally by the government of Cyprus. It was designed by the architect and town planner Angelos Demetriou with the help of the architect Michael Thrassou. It features a bronze monument surrounded by rows of pomegranatePomegranate
The pomegranate , Punica granatum, is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree growing between five and eight meters tall.Native to the area of modern day Iran, the pomegranate has been cultivated in the Caucasus since ancient times. From there it spread to Asian areas such as the Caucasus as...
and cypress
Cypress
Cypress is the name applied to many plants in the cypress family Cupressaceae, which is a conifer of northern temperate regions. Most cypress species are trees, while a few are shrubs...
trees. The four granite plaques at the base of the sculpture (describing the monument in Greek, English, Armenian and Turkish) were made by the government of Armenia. The monument itself was sculpted by the Greek artist Georgios Kalakallas ,.
The square in front of the Memorial was funded by the Kalaydjian Foundation and links the Armenian Genocide Memorial with Larnaca’s main promenade .
On 24 November 2006, during the state visit to Cyprus of the President of Armenia, the Memorial’s foundation stone was laid by President Robert Kocharyan.
Unveiling
On the 28th of May 2008, the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Demetris Christofias, officially unveilled the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Larnaca. The solemn ceremony was attended by the Ambassador of Armenia, the Mayor of Larnaca, the Archbishop of the Armenian community in Cyprus, Members of Parliament, and thousands of Greek- and Armenian-Cypriots .See also
- Armenian GenocideArmenian GenocideThe Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
- Genocide Remembrance DayGenocide Remembrance DayGenocide Remembrance Day is a national holiday in Armenia and is observed by Armenians in dispersed communities around the world on April 24. It is held annually to commemorate the victims of the Armenian Genocide from 1915 to 1923...