Kara Bala: Yerevan's Touching Flower Seller Sculpture

The Kara Bala sculpture, located on Abovyan Street in Yerevan, is a poignant tribute to a real-life character who touched the hearts of the city's residents. Kara Bala, whose real name was Karapet, was known for selling flowers and giving them away to women passing by in the mid-20th century. Born into a wealthy family that owned flower gardens, he lost everything after the establishment of Soviet rule. The sculpture, created by Levon Tokmajyan in 1995, captures Kara Bala in his old age, with a basket of flowers and a rose extended in his hand. The statue is made of bronze and stands two meters high. His semi-naked, thin body and natural posture give the sculpture a lifelike quality. Kara Bala loved to give flowers to women and girls, conveying with the flowers the love and kindness kept in his soul. He was known to give a red rose every day to the famous actress Arus Voskanyan.Deprived of home and family, Kara Bala spent his days near the Central Department Store, living in the store's warehouse. He was found frozen to death on the street after being forced to leave the warehouse. Today, the sculpture serves as a reminder of Yerevan's past and the importance of human kindness. Passersby often leave real flowers at the statue, continuing the tradition of Kara Bala.