Tsitsernakaberd: Armenia's Genocide Memorial Complex
What to know before visiting Tsitsernakaberd, Armenia's memorial to the 1915 Armenian Genocide, including the museum and eternal flame.
About Tsitsernakaberd
Tsitsernakaberd is Armenia's national memorial complex commemorating the 1915 Armenian Genocide, set on a hill overlooking Yerevan. At its center stands a 44-meter stele beside twelve tilted basalt slabs surrounding an eternal flame, memorializing the estimated 1.5 million Armenians killed during the genocide carried out by the Ottoman government.
The site is treated as sacred ground in Armenia — every April 24th, on Genocide Remembrance Day, hundreds of thousands of people walk to Tsitsernakaberd to lay flowers around the flame.
The Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Hours | Typically 11am–5pm, closed Mondays (check ahead, hours shift seasonally) |
| Cost | Free entry; donations welcomed |
| Language | Exhibits are presented in Armenian, Russian, and English |
| Recommended Time | 45–90 minutes |
Visiting Respectfully
Tsitsernakaberd is a memorial site, not a general tourist attraction, and is treated with solemnity by Armenians and the many visitors from the global Armenian diaspora who come specifically to pay respects. Quiet, respectful behavior is expected around the eternal flame and stele — loud conversation or casual photography of the flame itself are generally frowned upon, though photography of the grounds and museum is fine.
The underground museum is detailed and genuinely moving — plan to spend real time there rather than treating it as a quick photo stop.
