Genocide Museum
Tsitsernakaberd ("Swallow Castle") is a memorial to 1.5 million innocent victims of the genocide of Armenian people in 1915. The memorial and museum are located at Tsitsernakaberd Park, on a hill overlooking the city. Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex consists of the Monument in honor of the victims of the 1915 Genocide of Armenians and Genocide Museum.
On April 24th 1915 Ottoman Turks ordered the elimination of the Armenian elite: writers, musicians, doctors, philosopher, politicians etc., over 600 people, this is why the day of Genocide Commemoration is held on this day. But the mass holocaust begun from about 1877, in 1915 it got its most violent and outrageous form.
The elimination of the Armenians had been planned carefully so that it would not be noticed. Turks thought that the major powers of the world would not pay attention to what was happening as they were caught up in a world war.
First, Turks were choosing leading male Armenian intellectuals, such as teachers, writers and civil servants. These individuals would be eliminated so that the Armenians would have no leadership to guide them. Afterwards they were killing them. Thousands of Armenian men were forced to join the Ottoman army. In reality they formed labor battalions. These Armenians were worn down by hard labor and hunger and then were forced to dig their own graves at gunpoint before they were shot.
Women and children were raped and sold into slavery. Witnesses recalled how Turkish officers would throw babies into flames or would bind groups of Armenians together and pour gasoline over them, and burn them alive. Tens of thousands died from thirst, starvation, exposure and disease, as it was strictly forbidden for anyone to help the Armenians. All in all, one and half million perished in this merciless campaign.
The Museum-Institute of Armenian Genocide was established in April of 1995. Its mission is to collect, research, publishing, preserve and exhibit documents, photos, publications related to the Armenian Genocide perpetrated by the government in Turkey during 1915-1923.
The architects of the Museum are S.Kalashian, L.Mkrtchian and S.Tarkhanian. It was built underground in the south-western corner of the platform of the Genocide Monument, bringing the Memorial site to completion. The surface of the roof-top is aligned with the platform of the Genocide Monument. The building is two-storey and circular. On the upper floor is an introductory hall, the Genocide display and a room with apses. These three halls are arranged in a semicircle. The first floor of the museum houses a library, document storage rooms, a conference hall and a scholarly research center of the history of the Armenian genocide. There are also materials issued by different international organizations and parliaments of foreign countries condemning the genocide. In the center of the courtyard is a large-size khachkar (designed by the architect F.Arakelian).
Documents, authentic photos and the Genocide victims' personal effects and encased relics, illustrating the details of some of the most horrid events of the 20th century and reflect the attitude of the world public to the Armenian Genocide, are on permanent display. Nowadays more then 18 countries have officially recognized Armenian genocide as a historical fact calling Turkey to acknowledge the fact that neither time will erase, nor Armenians will ever forget.
Gallery
