The statue of Vahagn the Dragonslayer, the warrior god of war, valor, and victory in ancient Armenian mythology, has been unveiled once again in the heart of Yerevan, located between Yerevan City Hall and the “Moscow House” cultural center. The relocation was an initiative of the Yerevan Mayor’s Office, carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport.
Known in Armenian as Vahagn Vishapakagh, or “the dragon-reaper,” Vahagn was one of the three principal deities of the pre-Christian Armenian pantheon, forming a sacred triad alongside Aramazd, the supreme father and creator god, and Anahit, the mother goddess of fertility, healing, and wisdom.
The monument, the work of sculptor Karlen Nurijanyan, was inaugurated at its new location in a formal ceremony attended by Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan, Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan, Ruzanna Adamyan, the niece of the sculptor, and other officials.
Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan thanked all parties for bringing the initiative to life, and emphasized that the symbols which speak to the dignity and victory of the Armenian people deserve their rightful place in the city center. He said, “Karlen Nurijanyan created Vahagn, Hayk Nahapet, and Tork Angegh, figures that became symbols of our national strength, resilience, and dignity. Today we are not only returning Vahagn to his rightful place, we are also returning to Karlen Nurijanyan the recognition he deserves.”
Nurijanyan’s niece, Ruzanna Adamyan, reflected on the occasion with particular emotion, emphasizing that the statue’s relocation is a fitting tribute to the sculptor. “My wish is that Vahagn’s strength, courage, pride, victory, and sun be spread over the Armenian people. On behalf of the Nurijanyan family, I express my gratitude for this decision, which gives the monument new life,” she said.
Karlen Nurijanyan’s statue of Vahagn the Dragonslayer was installed in 1969 on the former Lenin Avenue, now Mashtots Avenue. In the mid-1970s it stood for a time near the “Moskva” cinema, in the vicinity of the Union of Artists of Armenia, and in the early 1980s it was moved to the Echmiadzin Highway. In the 1990s, a powerful gust of wind toppled the statue and it was broken. It was restored in 2001 by the sculptor Nerses Charkhchyan, and on December 19, 2004, it was installed at the intersection of Admiral Isakov Avenue and Sebastia Street. Now it has returned to the center of the capital.
The forged copper sculpture stands 3.5 meters tall and weighs roughly 400 kilograms, depicting the god Vahagn vanquishing the dragon, an expression of the struggle between life and death and the triumph of good over evil. This is one of three statues of Vahagn in Yerevan. Another stands on Vagharshyan Street in the Arabkir district (sculptor Vahe Harutyunyan), and the third is in the park beside the Malatia-Sebastia district administration building (sculptor Suren Nazaryan).
