Vardanants Square, Gyumri

A walk down Abovyan Street leads to one of Gyumri’s most iconic landmarks—Vardanants Square, the city’s historic and spiritual heart. Here, surrounded by striking architecture and powerful monuments, Gyumri’s identity comes vividly to life. This square is home to some of the most impressive buildings in the city, including the grand City Hall and two remarkable churches: the Church of the Holy Mother of God—also known as Yot Verk, or Seven Wounds—and the restored All Saviors’ Church (Surb Amenaprkich), currently undergoing careful reconstruction.

Vardanants Square also hosts several monuments deeply significant to the Armenian people. Among them is a statue of Vagharshak “Vahan” Cheraz—a figure as fascinating as he is multifaceted. Depicted in a cork hat, holding a walking stick, Cheraz was a polymath of rare distinction: an archaeologist who helped excavate Egyptian pyramids, one of the founding fathers of Armenian football, a political figure of the First Republic of Armenia, and the visionary behind an early 1920s scouting movement for orphaned children who survived the Armenian Genocide.

Dominating the square is another powerful tribute: the bronze equestrian statue of Vardan Mamikonian, the national hero who led the Armenian forces at the legendary Battle of Avarayr in 451 CE. Commanding an army of 60,000 Christian Armenians, Mamikonian stood bravely against the 200,000-strong forces of the Persian shah, whose army included war elephants. Though militarily defeated, the Armenians’ fierce resistance inflicted such staggering losses on the Persian side that they were forced to withdraw, ultimately abandoning their campaign to impose Zoroastrianism upon Armenia. Mamikonian fell in battle, but he rose in memory as the eternal defender of Armenian faith and freedom.

It was on May 26 (June 2 by the modern calendar), in the fateful year of 451, that the fearless commander Vardan met his end in the legendary Battle of Avarayr. His martyrdom marked not only a pivotal moment in Armenian history, but also his sanctification—he was later canonized as Saint Vardan. His resolute cry still echoes through the centuries: “Neither angels, nor men, nor sword, nor fire shall turn Armenians away from Christianity.”

A remarkable side note to this chapter in history is that one of Vardan Mamikonian’s daughters, Saint Shushanik (also known as Susanna), is revered as a martyr by both the Georgian Orthodox and Armenian Apostolic Churches. Her feast day is celebrated on September 10.

In 2008, a striking equestrian statue of Vardan Mamikonian was unveiled in the central square of Gyumri. Yet this was not the first monument dedicated to the legendary general. Back in 1975, near the Church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator, a powerful sculpture of Vardan was erected by the renowned artist Ervand Kochar and architect S. Kyurkchyan.

The equestrian statue is part of a larger bronze sculptural ensemble known as “Vardanants”, from which the square takes its name. Flanking Vardan are other iconic figures from the 5th-century resistance against Sasanian Persia: Catholicos Hovsep I, the priest Ghevond Yerets, Vardan’s mother Saakanuysh (daughter of Saint Sahak the Great), and Prince Arshavir II Kamsarakan. Each figure stands as a silent sentinel, cast in bronze, their faces etched with solemn determination and unwavering conviction.

The ensemble is not without controversy. While many see it as a majestic homage to national heritage, others view the naming of the square with suspicion, connecting it to the tenure of former mayor Vardan Ghukasyan, under whose administration the sculptures were installed. Some speculate that the mayor sought to immortalize his own name through this historic association. Nonetheless, the monument’s power and symbolism are undeniable.

Positioned directly across from Gyumri’s City Hall, the sculpture evokes a powerful metaphor: as if these bronze “messengers of the past” have returned bearing crosses and swords, silently demanding accountability from modern-day officials—asking whether justice, dignity, and the welfare of the people still guide the city’s path.

To this day, Armenians commemorate Vardan Mamikonian’s sacrifice with the annual Vardanank holiday in February or March, honoring his courage and martyrdom.

Another poignant monument on the square honors the victims of the 1988 Spitak earthquake—one of the most devastating natural disasters in Armenian history. In just 30 seconds, the 10-magnitude tremor claimed the lives of over 25,000 people, left more than half a million homeless, and destroyed upwards of 300 towns and villages. In then-Leninakan, nearly 80% of all buildings were reduced to rubble.

The earthquake memorial is a seven-meter-tall bronze sculpture in the form of a pyramid. At its peak stands the figure of a mother, embracing two children she has managed to save. Surrounding them on all sides are nearly twenty figures—each telling a story of heroism and compassion. A Soviet soldier pulls a child from the debris, a French rescuer stands with a search dog, while volunteers, doctors, and blood donors gather around. At the base of the monument, a solemn inscription reads: “To the innocent victims, to the merciful hearts.”

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