Khachatur Abovyan Statue: A Tribute to Armenian Literature

The Khachatur Abovyan Statue is a prominent monument in Yerevan, honoring Khachatur Abovyan, the 19th-century Armenian writer, educator, and founder of modern Armenian literature. Born in 1809, Abovyan's contributions to Armenian language and literature are immense, and he is best remembered for his novel "Wounds of Armenia," which was the first novel published in modern Armenian. He mysteriously disappeared in 1848 and was presumed dead.The statue depicts Abovyan standing with his right foot slightly forward and his hands crossed over his chest. He is dressed in a light coat with a high collar and holds his famous book in his right hand. The statue's facial features are modeled after a portrait by artist Friedrich Ludwig von Maidel.The statue's journey to its current location has been quite eventful. The initiative to erect a monument to Abovyan began in 1908, but faced numerous obstacles, including resistance from the Tsarist government. The statue, sculpted by Andreas Ter-Marukyan in Paris, was completed in 1913 but only reached Yerevan in 1933. It was initially placed on Abovyan Street, then moved several times before finding its permanent home in 1964 in the yard of Abovyan's house-museum in Kanaker.There is also another monument dedicated to Khachatur Abovyan located at the end of Abovyan Street in Yerevan. This monument was created in 1947 and installed in 1950.