After having returned from Echmiadzin, I met with Natalia at the bus stop, since she also expressed the wish to see the Genocide Monument, having been here for just under two months and impossibly busy. We ate something at the Kilikia bus stop and we walked all the way to the site, which lies on a hill.
On the way, to put us in the right mood, we saw some stray dogs scavenging for food in the trash. They wagged their tails as soon as we looked into their direction. Thanks buddies, that really helped...
Finally we reached the hill. We got, ahem, the wrong way up, so instead of the pleasant and gradual staircase, we went for the steep and dilapidated road, complete with pipe on the right, which we assumed gathers the tears of the visitors to irrigate the trees around.
The monument itself is simple. It is formed by two elements. The first is a circular dome, formed by twelve slabs. They represent the twelve lost provinces of Western Armenia, given to Turkey after World War I, following a peace agreement between Ataturk and Lenin. An eternal flame, surrounded by flowers brough by people, burns in the center.
The second element is a tall stele, formed by two interconnected slabs of different size. The smaller, represent Western Armenia. It was buit in 1967, following unprecedented public demonstrations in 1965 (50 years after the genocide).
Close to this is a small area with evergreen trees, planted by other countries leaders, dignitaries, personalities and groups, among those who recongnised the Armenian Genocide. Somber music plays in the background.
The museum, is below, in a bunker. Unfortunately, part of it was undergoing mantainance (seems like my bad luck started in Echmiadzin and goes on here), so we could only see a room, which frankly, was more than enough. Shelves gather newspaper articles from all over the world, painting, satiric strips and photographs.
Strangely enough, the worst part isn't the photos, but the cold recollection of an attempt at erasing one people. Physically, ethnically and culturally. To bring an example, in addition to the "simple" massacres, churches, an enduring symbol of Armenian unity and culture, were systematically razed or defiled. Books were burned, monuments destroyed. It's a touching chronicle of one of the several dark pages of last century. I recommend a visit to everyone who goes to Armenia.
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