Armenian monuments in Cyprus

Despite its small size, the Armenian-Cypriot community has plenty of monuments to show:
The present white marble Armenian Genocide Monument was constructed between 1990 and 1991 by architect and painter John Guevherian and is located in the courtyard of the new Sourp Asdvadzadzin church in Strovolos, Nicosia. It was officially presented on 24 April 1991. It features three arches – representing Armenia and the two Diasporas, the one within the USSR and the one outside it – and a black granite cross, the work of Armenian sculptor Levon Tokmadjian. The idea for its creation goes back to the 70th commemoration of the Armenian genocide in 1985, when Catholicosal Vicar, Senior Archimandrite Yeghishe Mandjikian, laid the idea for this monument. The monument bears three inscriptions:
On the lower right-hand side of the monument, there is the following inscription:
In 1996 some martyrs' remains, brought by members of an Armenian Relief Society mission from the Der Zor desert in Syria, were interred within the monument. A marble commemorative plaque in Armenian was placed on the monument reading:
More bone remains are kept in the two marble ossuaries, built in 2000 in front of the monument by the Eghoyian and Tembekidjian families. Facing the monument, the ossuaries bear the following inscriptions in Armenian:
Around the monument and the two ossuaries are five khachkar-like columns, built with the donation of Anahid Der Movsessian in 2000. The sandstone columns are linked together by chains. The central one bears the following inscription in Armenian:
In front of the Sourp Asdvadzadzin church, there is a white marble khachkar, the work of Lebanese-Armenian sculptor Boghos Taslakian (also known as Aghassi), which stands as a symbol of friendship between Armenians and Greeks of Cyprus. The khachkar was unveiled on 21 October 2001 by Presidential Commissioner Manolis Christophides and it bears the following inscription:
Behind this khachkar, there is the following inscription, the sculptor's alias:
Also in front of the Sourp Asdvadzadzin church, there is a bronze bust of Archbishop Zareh Aznavorian (1947–2004), the work of Armenian sculptor Mgrdich Mazmanian. The bust was unveiled on 1 May 2005 by its benefactor, Italian-Armenian Alecco Bezikian. It bears the following inscription in Armenian:
On the lower right-hand side of the bust, it bears the following inscription in Armenian, the sculptor's name:
Behind the bust, there is a small garden with a fountain in the centre of it, erected in 2005. It bears the following inscription in Armenian:
In front of the Nareg School there is the sandstone statue of monk, poet, mystical philosopher and theologian Saint Krikor Naregatsi (951–1003), the work of Armenian sculptor Levon Tokmadjian. It was unveiled on 24 March 1991 by Representative Aram Kalaydjian. Under the statue the following inscription is inscribed in Armenian:
Behind the statue, the following inscription is inscribed in Armenian, the sculptor's name:
Also in 1991, the sandstone bust of AGBU's founder and first Chairman Boghos Noubar Pasha (1851–1930) was placed to the side of Nicosia AGBU's entrance, also the work of Armenian sculptor Levon Tokmadjian. Under the bust the following inscription is inscribed in Armenian:
It is worth mentioning the fact that the road in front of the Armenian compound in Strovolos, Nicosia was renamed on 10 December 1979 from Cyclops street to Armenia street, after a decision by Strovolos Improvement Board, as a gesture of solidarity to the brotherly Armenian people. The decision was taken after Bishop Zareh Aznavorian and community members made this suggestion. Today, Armenia street is one of the busiest roads of the greater Nicosia area and it is the centre of the traditional march for the commemoration of the Armenian genocide on 24 April every year. Also worth mentioning is the fact that the road to the side of the Melkonian Educational Institute was renamed on 23 March 2001 from Ephesus street to Melkonian street, after a decision by Aglandjia Municipality. The decision was taken after a request by the Melkonian Educational Institute, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the school's operation.
On 28 April 2002, a white marble tomb-ossuary containing some martyrs' remains, brought by an Armenian Youth Federation mission from the Der Zor desert in Syria in 2001, was unveiled by Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian in front of the AYMA premises in Strovolos, Nicosia. The monument bears an inscription in Armenian:
Next to the monument, there is an inscription in Greek reading:
To the right of the entrance of the new Armenian cemetery of Nicosia, there is a grey tuff stone khachkar. It was carved in Sisian province, Armenia by Armenian sculptor Grisha Avedissian and was donated by Dickran Ouzounian. It was placed there in early 2013. On the lower front side of the khachkar base, there is the following granite inscription in Armenian:
On the lower right-hand side of the khachkar base, there is the following granite inscription in Armenian:
On the upper right-hand side of the khachkar there is the following inscription in Armenian, the sculptor's initials:
There is also a commemorative aluminium plate, located on top of a cenotaph in the Ayp cemetery (near Ledra Palace), was placed in early 2010 and contains the names of the 419 people buried there between 1877 and 1931. This plate, probably the only one of its kind in a cemetery in Cyprus, is shown below:
Finally, in the old Armenian complex on Victoria street (nowadays in the Turkish-occupied Nicosia sector) was located the first Armenian Genocide monument in Cyprus. The monument was constructed using mortar in 1932 by architect Garo Balian and is considered to be the second oldest of its kind in the world. It was inaugurated on 24 April 1932 by Archbishop Bedros Saradjian and was also, unofficially, dedicated to the fallen of the famous Battle of Arara. The monument bore the following inscription in Armenian:
All that survives of it today is its base, as the obelisk was taken down by the Turkish soldiers, who defaced its base. Until 2011, it bore a stencilled quote of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, which was removed during the restoration of the Armenian compound.
The white marble Benefactors' Mausoleum, with the bronze busts of Garabed Melkonian (1849–1934) and Krikor Melkonian (1843–1920), is located between the twin buildings, the work of French-Armenian sculptor Leon Mouradoff and French-Armenian architect Mardiros Altounian. It replaced an older, wooden trellis monument. Its foundation stone was laid on 24 April 1954 by Bishop Ghevont Chebeyian, who also inaugurated the Mausoleum on 15 January 1956. Under the bronze busts and on top of the monument there are the following inscriptions in Armenian:
Between 1979 and 1980, artist Sebouh Abcarian constructed the twin sandstone monuments of the Armenian Alphabet and a synthesis resembling Mayr Hayastan; they were initially placed at the crossroads to the hospital and were inaugurated on 8 May 1981 by AGBU's President Alec Manougian. In 1987 they were placed in their current position, on the twin buildings' sides that face the Benefactors' Mausoleum. The Mother Armenia synthesis bears an inscription in Armenian, from Solomon's Book of Proverbs 1:2, said to be the first sentence written in Armenian by Saint Mesrob Mashdots after he devised the Armenian alphabet:
Between 1990 and 1991, at the request of Melkonian's Headmaster Vahe Gabouchian, Armenian sculptor Levon Tokmadjian sculpted a series of 7 sandstone statues depicting important pillars of Armenian history and letters: Hovhannes Aivazovsky, Hagop Meghabard, Gomidas Vartabed Soghomonian, Saint Mesrob Mashdots, General Antranik Ozanian, Vahan Tekeyan and Movses Khorenatsi. This is what is written on the aluminium plaques below each statue:
The bust of Saint Mesrob Mashdots is placed on a small circular garden behind the Benefactors' Mausoleum, while the other busts are placed further back, closer to the new boarding section. Mashdots' bust does not have an aluminium plaque, as its inscription is carved on the sandstone itself.
Levon Tokmadjian also sculpted the marble bust of philanthropist and AGBU Chairman Alec Manougian (1901–1996), placed in front of the new boarding section. The marble inscription under the bust reads as follows:
The church of Sourp Stepanos (Saint Stephen) itself is considered to be the oldest monument of the Armenian massacres, built between 1909 and 1913 with a commemorative façade on its entrance. It was inaugurated on 20 May 1914 by Senior Archimandrite Serovpe Samvelian and was consecrated on 30 June 1918 by Archbishop Taniel Hagopian. The commemorative façade features the Armenian ethnarch Haig, the last King of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, Levon V, a scroll held by a hand – representing the Ten Commandments and the four symbols of the Four Evangelists; around King Levon V, there is a commemorative inscription in Armenian:
while under the façade and above the entrance it says:
In the courtyard of Sourp Stepanos (Saint Stephen) is the reddish brown tuff stone khachkar (cross-stone) dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Adana massacre and the myriads of Armenian martyrs. It was carved in Sisian province, Armenia by Grisha Avedissian and was donated by Mihran and Jacqueline Boyadjian. It was consecrated by Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian on 25 December 2011. It bears the following inscription in Armenian:
On the upper right-hand side of the khachkar, there is the following inscription in Armenian, the sculptor's initials:
Another reddish brown tuff stone khachkar (cross-stone) is found at the Armenian cemetery of Larnaca. It is dedicated to all the deceased of the Armenian nation in Larnaca. It was carved in Sisian province, Armenia by Grisha Avedissian and was donated by Kegham Boghossian. It was consecrated by Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian and Fr. Masdhots Ashkarian on 26 February 2012. Carved behind the khachkar is the following inscription in Armenian:
Underneath the carved inscription is the following inscription on an aluminium plate:
On the upper right-hand side of the khachkar, there is the following inscription in Armenian, the sculptor's initials:
The Armenian Genocide Memorial is adjacent to the Larnaca marina, marking the spot where thousands of Armenian genocide refugees first set foot in Cyprus. A joint project by the governments of Cyprus and Armenia, it was designed by architect and town planner Angelos Demetriou with the help of the architect Michael Thrassou and sculpted by Greek artist Georgios Kalakallas. Its foundation stone was laid on 24 November 2006 by Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and it was unveiled on 28 May 2008 by Cypriot President Demetris Christofias. It features a bronze eagle-like monument, surrounded by rows of pomegranate and cypress trees.
The four granite plaques at the base of the sculpture describing the monument were made by the government of Armenia. They read:
On the left and the right of the compound surrounding the monument are four granite plaques, made by the government of Armenia. They read (from left to right):
The square in front of the Memorial was funded by the Kalaydjian Foundation and links the Armenian Genocide Monument with Larnaca's main promenade.
A dark brown tuff stone khachkar (cross-stone) was placed outside the Sourp Kevork (Saint George) church in 2008, as a donation from the Arakelyan family. It was carved in Gyumri and was unveiled on 28 September 2008 by Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian. On its base, there is the inscription in English:
There are two monuments at Sourp Magar. The first one is a mortar obelisk dedicated to Abbot Mekhitar, his visit there in 1695 and the 200th anniversary of the formation of the Mekhitarist Order. It was originally erected in 1901, as a pile of stones, by the students of the National Educational Orphanage, run by Vahan Kurkjian (Pagouran); the inaugural ceremony was performed on 8 September 1901. Thirty years after this, the monument was re-constructed by 4 former students of the Orphanage (Movses Soultanian, Simon Vanian, Armen Bedevian, Rapael Pilibbossian), with the help of architect Garo Balian, and was unveiled on 2 August 1931 by Catholicos Sahag Khabayan and Archbishop Bedros Saradjian.
There are two inscriptions in Armenian on the monument; the Armenian inscription on the eastern side of the monument is a poem by Vahan Kurkjian and it reads:
The western side of the monument has the following inscription in Armenian:
The other monument is a stone column, located at the monastery's square and dedicated to the visit of Catholicos Sahag II there and the opening of the square in 1933; it was unveiled by himself on 8 September 1933. The inscription on the column, in Armenian reads:
Unfortunately, no Armenian inscriptions survive in Cyprus before the Ottoman Era.
The sundial on the left is the oldest known Armenian inscription in Cyprus. Located in Turkish-occupied Nicosia, it marks the entrance of the old Sinanian house, owned by Yevnige Sinanian, who lived there with her sister Eojenie. They inherited it from their parents, Apraham and Sima Sinanian; Apraham Sinanian (1844–1894) was from Yozgat, whereas Sima Philibbosian (1859–1929) was a native Armenian-Cypriot, the daughter of Philip Sdepanian and Yeghsapet Ohanian and the great-great-granddaughter of the famous Sarkis Agha; there is mention that some of her ancestors perhaps came from Caesarea at an uncertain period. What the dates mean is uncertain, but perhaps 1791 is the year that Sima's maternal family first came to Cyprus.
The tombstone on the right is the oldest known Armenian tombstone in Cyprus. Located in the Ayp cemetery, it is a poem dedicated to the young Sdepan Papazian (1867–1875), the only son (and second of three children) of Negdarine Eramian (1842–1909) and Ohannes Papazian (1832–1896); while Ohannes was born in Yerzinga, Negdarine was the daughter of Boghos Eramian – an Armenian-Cypriot landowner and once the Head Treasurer from Pano Deftera – and Yeghsapet Sdepanian. Yeghsapet was the daughter of Sdepan Agha Krikorian and Heghine Boghossian, and the great-granddaughter of the famous Sarkis Agha.
In both inscriptions, even though the letters used are Armenian, the language is Turkish; the use of the Armenian script to write Turkish was common amongst Ottoman Armenians, called հայատառ թրքերէն (hayadar trkeren, Turkish in Armenian letters). In fact, the first Turkish novel to be published in the Ottoman Empire was Akabi Hikâyesi (Akabi's story), written in 1851 with the Armenian script by Vartan Pasha.
Other than the monuments mentioned above, in the past there were also other Armenian monuments in Cyprus:
Finally, the Melkonian's 35m-tall water tower (in Armenian: ջրամբար, chrampar), although not a monument per se, was a landmark of the school from the time it was built until the mid–1980s, when it was pulled down due to structural and safety concerns. It cast into wooden moulds by Alexander Delyfer and had a capacity of 4 tons. The water tower became famous when Artin Kalousdian, a boarding student at the Melkonian from Constantinople, climbed it and committed suicide by falling from it in 1928. Legend has it that after his suicide, his classmates put his bed's springs on the water tower in his memory. The water tower was also decorated and lit in 1937 (for the coronation of King George VI) and in 1953 (for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II).