Memorial to the victims of the 1988 earthquake in Gyumri

This bronze monument stands in Gyumri, in the courtyard of the Holy Saviour (Surb Amenaprkich) Church. It was unveiled on 7 December 2008 in memory of the victims of the devastating earthquake of 1988.

More than 7 metres high, the monument depicts a pyramid of human destinies. At the top is the figure of a mother holding two rescued children tightly in her arms, a symbol of the continuity of life and of hope.

The earthquake lasted only 30 seconds, but its force equalled the explosion of 10 atomic bombs. It took tens of thousands of lives and destroyed flourishing towns. In the photograph, wreaths lie at the foot of the monument, with the stone wall of the church behind it.