Armenian Alphabet Monument

The Armenian Alphabet Monument Complex, more commonly known as the Alphabet Park, was built in 2005 to mark the 1,600th anniversary of the creation of the Armenian alphabet. The monument was designed by renowned architect Jim Torosyan. It is located under the open sky near the village of Artashavan, on the eastern slope of Mount Aragats. The monument features decorative sculptures of all 39 letters of the Armenian alphabet, each carved from tuff stone. The Armenian script was created in 405 AD by the linguist and ecclesiastical leader Mesrop Mashtots. His goal was to make the Bible accessible to Armenians and to strengthen the spread of Christianity in Armenia. Since its creation, the Mashtotsian alphabet has remained virtually unchanged, as it is considered perfect in its design. From the Alphabet Park, visitors can see the Holy Cross monument, added in 2012. It is made of 1,711 large and small metal crosses, symbolizing the number of years Christianity has been the state religion of Armenia. The cross is 33 meters tall, representing the age of Jesus Christ at the time of his crucifixion. Each year, a new cross is added, continuing the tradition.