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Armenian Genocide Memorial (Tsitsernakaberd), Yerevan

Tsitsernakaberd from above: twelve leaning basalt slabs around the eternal flame, the split stele and Yerevan behind
Photo: Aleksey Chalabyan (a.k.a. Xelgen), CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
Free — memorial and museum; donations welcome
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Hours
Museum: Tue–Sat 10:00–17:00 (15 Nov – 15 Feb 11:00–16:45), Sun 11:00–15:00; closed Mondays
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
1 h 30 min
With kids
Better without small kids
Museum, 15 Feb – 15 Nov
Tuesday–Saturday 10:00–17:00, last entry 16:30
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Museum, 15 Nov – 15 Feb
Tuesday–Saturday 11:00–16:45, last entry 16:15
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Sunday
11:00–15:00, last entry 14:30
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Closed
Mondays; 31 Dec, 1, 2, 6 and 28 Jan, 8 Mar, 1, 9 and 28 May, 5 Jul, 21 Sep
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Guided tour in English
7,000 AMD per group of 1–10, 10,000 AMD for 10–20; book by phone on +374 10 39 09 81
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Children on tours
From age 13, except school groups
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Memorial grounds
Open even when the museum is closed; hours not published (unofficial)
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Photos in the museum
Rules vary by hall — ask the attendant
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Parking
Free, at the foot of the complex
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Address
8/8 Tsitsernakaberd Highway
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Coordinates
40.18582, 44.48811YesGo MapGoogleApple
Getting there
≈ 10 min by taxi from Republic Square
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.

Key facts

Freeentry to the memorial and the museum; guided tours are paid
SourceArmenian Genocide Museum-Institute (official website)
44 mthe stele, split in two to stand for national rebirth
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
12 slabsof basalt lean in a circle over the eternal flame
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
29.11.1967the memorial opened, built in two and a half years
2 sourcesArmenian Genocide Museum-InstituteEnglish Wikipedia (November 1967)
Tarkhanyan & Kalashyanthe architects, Arthur Tarkhanyan and Sashur Kalashyan
2 sourcesArmenian Genocide Museum-InstituteEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
1965the design competition was announced for the 50th anniversary
2 sourcesArmenian Genocide Museum-InstituteRussian Wikipedia
≈ 100 mthe memorial wall, carved with the names of towns and villages where massacres and deportations took place
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
1995the Museum-Institute opened for the 80th anniversary
2 sourcesArmenian Genocide Museum-InstituteEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
“Swallow’s fortress”what the name Tsitsernakaberd means in Armenian
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
Memory Alleyfir trees planted by heads of state and honoured guests
2 sourcesArmenian Genocide Museum-InstituteRussian Wikipedia
24 AprilRemembrance Day, when crowds walk to the flame with flowers
2 sourcesArmenian Genocide Museum-InstituteEnglish Wikipedia

Armenian Genocide Museum hours and tickets

There are no tickets: the memorial and the museum are both free, with a donation box by the entrance. From 15 February to 15 November the museum opens Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30); in winter it is 11:00–16:45. On Sundays it is open 11:00–15:00. It is closed on Mondays and on public holidays.

Labels are in Armenian, English and Russian, so you can go round on your own. A guide adds a lot, though — many of the documents and photographs need context. An English tour costs 7,000 AMD per group of up to ten and lasts 40 minutes to an hour. Tours run Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00–16:10.

Tours are booked by phone only, up to 60 days ahead, and a slot may be given away if you are more than 10 minutes late. The museum doesn't say whether the fee can be paid by card, so bring some dram in cash. Elsewhere in Yerevan, Visa and Mastercard work in most shops and cafés.

What is Tsitsernakaberd?

Tsitsernakaberd is Armenia’s national memorial to the victims of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire, which began in 1915. The name means “swallow’s fortress”. The complex is open-air: a stele, a ring of slabs around an eternal flame, a long memorial wall, an alley of fir trees and a museum set into the slope.

The design was chosen in a competition announced in 1965, the 50th anniversary, and the memorial opened on 29 November 1967 after just two and a half years of building. The architects were Arthur Tarkhanyan and Sashur Kalashyan. The Museum-Institute followed in 1995.

For Armenians this is a place of mourning, not a sight. Families come here to lay flowers, and the hill stays quiet even when the flame is busy. Read a little about 1915 before you go — it makes the visit far more meaningful.

What to see at the memorial

  • The 44-metre stele. Split vertically into two parts — a divided nation that survived and rebuilt.
  • The sanctuary of the eternal flame. Twelve basalt slabs lean inward in a circle over a flame set below ground level. People place flowers around the edge.
  • The memorial wall. About 100 metres of basalt along the path to the sanctuary, carved with the names of towns and villages where Armenians were killed or deported.
  • Memory Alley. Fir trees planted since 1997 by presidents, religious leaders and other official guests, each with a name plaque.
  • The Museum-Institute. Two floors built almost entirely underground, to the right of the alley. The exhibition was renewed for the centenary in 2015; the museum lists 12 halls.
  • The viewpoint. The city spreads out below, and on a clear day Mount Ararat rises behind it.

How to get to the Armenian Genocide Memorial

Step-by-step directions are below; the map shows where you arrive.

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destinationStreet view

Where are you starting from?

We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.

More tips

  1. From Republic Square (metro: Hanrapetutyan Hraparak) the easy option is a Yandex Go or GG taxi, about 10 minutes. Set the destination to the memorial car park, not just “Tsitsernakaberd Highway” — that address also belongs to a big shopping mall.
  2. The metro doesn’t reach the hill. City buses run from the centre to the Hrazdan market and stadium below it; Absolute Armenia lists routes 1, 27, 33 and 36 from the stop by Children’s Park on Beyrut Street (unofficial — check the number in a maps app).
  3. Buses and the metro take no cash: a 90-minute ticket is a QR code from a Telcell terminal, or a bank card registered in the city’s transport system — check on the spot.
  4. From the Karen Demirchyan Sports and Concert Complex the museum says it is a 15–20 minute uphill walk, and blue signs point to the car park.
  5. Walking all the way from the centre takes about 40 minutes, uphill at the end (unofficial). Skip it in the summer heat.
  6. Taxis don’t wait at the gate, so book your ride back in the app as you leave the museum.

Is the Armenian Genocide Memorial worth visiting?

Yes — if you want to understand Armenia rather than just see it. Memory of 1915 runs through Armenian life, and this hill explains it better than any book. It is free, close to the centre and takes about 1.5 hours.

It is a heavy visit. If you only have half a day and want something light, start with the Cascade and Republic Square instead. With young children, think ahead: the museum shows harrowing photographs, and the memorial asks for silence.

Before you go: checklist

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Tsitsernakaberd, Matenadaran or the Cascade

Tsitsernakaberdyou are hereGenocide memorial and museumFreeMondayQuiet and sombre≈ 10 min by taxi
MatenadaranAncient manuscript libraryPaidSee the place pageCalm and scholarlyWalk from the centre
CascadeGiant stairway and sculpture gardenFreeGalleries Mon–ThuEasy and sociableWalk from the centre

With one day, do Tsitsernakaberd in the morning, then switch to the centre: the Matenadaran and the Cascade are next to each other.

Yerevan’s history sights compared

Historic places in and around Yerevan rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.

Geghard Monastery481 hFree28.5 km
Garni Temple471 h1,500 AMD22.1 km
Armenian Genocide Memorial (Tsitsernakaberd)you are here451 h 30 minFree—
Republic Square4530 minFree39 min walk
Etchmiadzin Cathedral401 h 30 minFree17.0 km
Matenadaran381 h 15 min2,000 AMD, under 6 free2.9 km
Khor Virap351 h 15 minFree35.0 km

Remembrance and the centre in one day

The memorial and museum in the morning, a taxi to the Matenadaran, down the Cascade, then an evening on Northern Avenue. Add them to your route in one tap — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

  1. Armenian Genocide Memorial (Tsitsernakaberd)you are here1 h 30 min · Free; English guide 7,000 AMD per group
  2. 50 min walk from the previous stopMatenadaran1 h 15 min · 2,000 AMD, under 6 free
  3. 8 min walk from the previous stopYerevan Cascade1 h · Free
  4. 18 min walk from the previous stopNorthern Avenue30 min · Free

4 places · about 5 h 31 min with walks · 76 min on foot in total

Go · my route

Nearby — add to your day

Republic Square

Yerevan, Armenia

30 min · Free · 39 min walk

Northern Avenue

Yerevan, Armenia

30 min · Free · 40 min walk

Yerevan Cascade

Yerevan, Armenia

1 h · Free · 42 min walk

How to do it right

  • Arrive when the museum opens: the flame is quieter in the morning, and the exposed hill isn’t hot yet in summer.
  • See the memorial first, then the museum — the halls make sense of what you saw above.
  • Book an English tour a few days ahead by phone; in high season slots go fast.
  • Save the viewpoint for a clear day, when Ararat shows behind the city.
  • Afterwards, switch to the centre: the Matenadaran and the Cascade are side by side.
  • In winter the hill gets snow and the path by the memorial wall can be icy — wear proper shoes.

Questions

Is the Armenian Genocide Museum free?

Yes. Entry to the memorial and the museum is free, and donations are welcome. Only guided tours are paid: 7,000 AMD in English for a group of up to ten.

What are the Armenian Genocide Museum opening hours?

Tuesday–Saturday 10:00–17:00, or 11:00–16:45 from 15 November to 15 February; Sunday 11:00–15:00. Closed on Mondays and public holidays.

Is the Armenian Genocide Museum open on Monday?

No. The museum is closed on Mondays, though you can still walk up to the memorial and the eternal flame.

How do I get to the Armenian Genocide Memorial?

A Yandex Go or GG taxi from Republic Square takes about 10 minutes. The metro doesn’t go there; buses stop by the Hrazdan market below the hill, then it is a 15–20 minute uphill walk.

How long do you need at Tsitsernakaberd?

About 1.5 hours: half an hour at the memorial and an hour in the museum. Allow two hours with a guided tour.

Can I book a guided tour in English?

Yes — by phone on +374 10 39 09 81, up to 60 days ahead. Tours run Tuesday to Sunday and last 40 minutes to an hour.

Can you take photos at the memorial?

Outdoors, yes, discreetly. Inside the museum the rules vary between halls, so ask the attendant before you shoot.

Is the museum suitable for children?

It contains harrowing images. Guided tours are offered from age 13; with younger children, keep to the memorial and the park.

What happens at Tsitsernakaberd on 24 April?

It is Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day: thousands walk to the flame with flowers and a torchlit march sets off from the centre. The museum keeps longer hours, and the hill is packed.

What does Tsitsernakaberd mean?

“Swallow’s fortress” — the Armenian name of the hill the memorial stands on.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute (official website): Plan a visit — hours, closures, free entry, tours, address, parking, 30.10.2026
  • Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute: Description and history, Museum info, Memory alley
  • English and Russian Wikipedia: Tsitsernakaberd; Wikidata Q154775
  • Absolute Armenia: how to visit Tsitsernakaberd (updated 2026) — buses and taxis
  • T-Armenia: Yerevan sights by metro and bus
  • JAMnews: Yerevan's transport reform — paying for buses and the metro
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 30.10.2026 ·
How we checkedHours, closures, free entry, tour fees and rules, the address and parking come from the official Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute website. The Visit Armenia directory gives different hours (Tue–Sun 10:00–16:30); we follow the museum. Dates, architects, the stele height, the number of slabs and the length of the wall are checked against at least two sources. Sources disagree on the number of competition entries (69 on the museum site and English Wikipedia, 78 in Russian Wikipedia) and on the museum’s floor area, so we leave both out. Guidebooks list different bus numbers (1, 27, 33, 36 or 26, 27, 33, 63), so they are marked unofficial. Taxi and walking times are from the map and marked “checking”, as is the photo policy inside, which sources describe differently.

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