The “Veratsnund” (Renaissance) Memorial Complex

The “Veratsnund” (Renaissance) Memorial Complex is dedicated to the memory of the Armenian Genocide, the Battle of Aparan, and the fallen soldiers of the Great Patriotic War. It is located in Aragatsotn Province, about 1.5 km from the town of Aparan, on a hill on the left side of the highway leading from Aparan to Spitak. The memorial was constructed between 1974 and 1979, based on a design by Rafael Israelyan, a People’s Architect of the USSR. The project was implemented by his son, architect Areg Israelyan, along with stone masters Hayk Hovhannisyan, Aghabek Papikyan, and several other specialists. On the front side of the monument is a three-niche composition, with a memorial column placed in front of each niche. The first column bears the inscription: “To the martyrs of the Armenian Genocide.” The second column, shaped like a sword, reads: “To the heroes of the Battle of Aparan.” The third column is inscribed: “To the residents of Aparan who died in the Great Patriotic War, 1941–1945.” The complex is built from black tuff, and the surrounding ground is covered with basalt tiles.