THE
ARMENIANS
OF CYPRUS
26
Despite its relatively small size, the Armenian-Cypriot
community has several monuments to show:
•
In the courtyard of the Virgin Mary cathedral in
Nicosia there is the marble Genocide Monument
(1991) and two marble ossuaries containing Genocide
martyrs’ bone remains from the Der Zor desert in
Syria (2000).
•
In front of the Virgin Mary cathedral there is a marble
khachkar (cross-stone), dedicated to the eternal
friendship between Armenians and Greeks of Cyprus
(2001), and the bronze bust of Archbishop Zareh
Aznavorian (2005).
•
In front of Nareg School in Nicosia there is the
sandstone statue of Saint Krikor Naregatsi (1991).
•
In front of the Homenetmen-AYMA club there is a
marble tomb containing Genocide martyrs’ bone
remains from the Der Zor desert in Syria (2002).
•
In front of the Nicosia AGBU club there is the
sandstone bust of AGBU founder, Boghos Noubar
Pasha (1991).
•
Within the premises of the Melkonian Educational
Institute there is the marble Mausoleum of the
Benefactors (1956), the carved sandstone monuments
for the Armenian Alphabet and Mother Armenia
(1981), the marble bust of Alec Manougian (1990) and
a series of sandstone busts depicting important
pillars of Armenian history and letters (Hovhannes
Aivazovsky, Hagop Meghabard, Gomidas Vartabed,
Saint Mesrob Mashdots, General Antranik, Vahan
Tekeyan and Movses Khorenatsi: 1990-1991).
•
At the ancient Armenian cemetery in Nicosia there is
a commemorative metal plaque containing the
names of the 419 people buried there between 1877
and 1931 (2010).
Monuments
•
Adjacent to the Larnaka marina there is the bronze
Armenian Genocide Memorial, marking the spot
where thousands of Armenian Genocide refugees
first set foot in Cyprus (2008).
•
In front of the Saint George church in Limassol there
is a tuff stone khachkar (cross-stone: 2008).
•
In front of Saint Stephen’s church in Larnaka there is
a tuff stone khachkar (cross-stone), dedicated to the
100th anniversary of the Adana massacre and the
myriads of Armenian martyrs (2011).
•
At the Larnaka Armenian cemetery there is a tuff
stone khachkar (cross-stone), dedicated to all
deceased of the Armenian nation in Larnaka (2012).
•
At the new Nicosia Armenian cemetery there is a tuff
stone khachkar (cross-stone), dedicated to all
deceased of the Armenian nation (2013).
•
At the grove of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’
Protocol Division in Nicosia there is a tuff stone
khachkar (cross-stone), dedicated from the Armenian
people to the friendly people of Cyprus (2016).
The following Armenian monuments are located in the
Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus:
•
Within the old Armenian church compound in Nicosia
there is the first Armenian Genocide monument
(1932), the second oldest of its kind in the world.
Only its base survives.
•
Within the square outside the Magaravank there is a
stone column, dedicated to the visit there of
Catholicos Sahag II (1933).
•
On top of a hill overlooking the Magaravank there is
a mortar obelisk, dedicated to Abbot Mekhitar of
Sebaste, his visit there in 1695 and the 200th
anniversary of the Mekhitarist Order (1931).
