What I can see

It is a stone sculpture, by an unknown sculptor, and is 2.5m high. It is a replica of a traditional 11th-century Armenian “khachkar” cross and has many decorative elements linked with the folk tradition. The characteristic earthy colour comes from the volcanic stone of Armenia, which is called “duf”. On the low base and on the altar of the sculpture, there is an honorary inscription from Armenia to Greece.

What I can't see

Khachkar -where “khach” means cross and “kar” means earth- is a stone cross and is a symbol of faith, gratitude, victory, protection from the evil eye and hope for the salvation of the soul in Armenian tradition. It is placed in prominent places and the first crosses date back to the 9th century, after the liberation of the Armenians from the Arabs. This art flourishes to this day and there are 40,000 Armenian crosses around the world. Τhere was great mobility in Greece for humanitarian aid to Armenia after its independence in 1991 and the problems caused from wars and earthquakes. This khachkar was a gift from the Armenian Red Cross to the Municipality of Athens and therefore, is a symbolic gesture of gratitude.

Info

• Address: V. Konstantinou & Rizari St.

Bibliography