# Armenian Genocide Memorial (Tsitsernakaberd), Yerevan > The Armenian Genocide Memorial stands on Tsitsernakaberd hill above the Hrazdan gorge, a 10-minute taxi ride west of central Yerevan. The memorial and the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute are **free**. The museum opens Tuesday–Saturday 10:00–17:00 (11:00–16:45 from 15 November), Sunday 11:00–15:00, and is closed on Mondays. Allow about 1.5 hours for both. Web page: https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/tsitsernakaberd - City: [Yerevan](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan), Armenia - YesGo score: 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h 30 min - Opening hours: Museum: Tue–Sat 10:00–17:00 (15 Nov – 15 Feb 11:00–16:45), Sun 11:00–15:00; closed Mondays - With kids: Better without small kids - Entry: Free — memorial and museum; donations welcome - Museum, 15 Feb – 15 Nov: Tuesday–Saturday 10:00–17:00, last entry 16:30 - Museum, 15 Nov – 15 Feb: Tuesday–Saturday 11:00–16:45, last entry 16:15 - Sunday: 11:00–15:00, last entry 14:30 - Closed: Mondays; 31 Dec, 1, 2, 6 and 28 Jan, 8 Mar, 1, 9 and 28 May, 5 Jul, 21 Sep - 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 - Children on tours: From age 13, except school groups - Memorial grounds: Open even when the museum is closed; hours not published (unofficial) - Photos in the museum: Rules vary by hall — ask the attendant - Parking: Free, at the foot of the complex - Address: 8/8 Tsitsernakaberd Highway - Getting there: ≈ 10 min by taxi from Republic Square - Coordinates: 40.18582, 44.48811 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **Free** — entry to the memorial and the museum; guided tours are paid (source: Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute (official website)) - **44 m** — the stele, split in two to stand for national rebirth (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **12 slabs** — of basalt lean in a circle over the eternal flame (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **29.11.1967** — the memorial opened, built in two and a half years (source: Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute; English Wikipedia (November 1967)) - **Tarkhanyan & Kalashyan** — the architects, Arthur Tarkhanyan and Sashur Kalashyan (source: Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute; English and Russian Wikipedia) - **1965** — the design competition was announced for the 50th anniversary (source: Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute; Russian Wikipedia) - **≈ 100 m** — the memorial wall, carved with the names of towns and villages where massacres and deportations took place (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **1995** — the Museum-Institute opened for the 80th anniversary (source: Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute; English and Russian Wikipedia) - **“Swallow’s fortress”** — what the name Tsitsernakaberd means in Armenian (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **Memory Alley** — fir trees planted by heads of state and honoured guests (source: Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute; Russian Wikipedia) - **24 April** — Remembrance Day, when crowds walk to the flame with flowers (source: Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute; English 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. > **Closed on Mondays** The memorial on the hill can be visited any day, but the museum is shut on Mondays and public holidays. On Sundays it closes at 15:00, last entry 14:30. From 15 November weekday hours shift to 11:00–16:45, last entry 16:15. Leave yourself at least an hour inside. ## 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 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](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/yerevan-cascade) and [Republic Square](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/yerevan-republic-square) instead. With young children, think ahead: the museum shows harrowing photographs, and the memorial asks for silence. > **Etiquette at the memorial** There is no formal dress code, but this is a place of grief: dress modestly, skip beachwear, keep your voice down. Visitors lay flowers at the flame — buy them in town beforehand. Avoid cheerful posing in front of the flame or the wall. > **24 April is Remembrance Day** On 24 April thousands of people walk up the hill, a torchlit march sets off from Republic Square, and flowers pile up around the flame. The museum stays open longer that day. For a quiet visit, pick another date. If you want to join the remembrance, walk up with flowers like everyone else. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] It isn’t Monday or a public holiday - [ ] I’ll make last entry: 16:30, 16:15 in winter, 14:30 on Sunday - [ ] Guided tour booked by phone — if I want one - [ ] Modest clothes - [ ] Flowers, if I’d like to leave some - [ ] Water and a hat in summer - [ ] A taxi app for the ride back ## Tsitsernakaberd, Matenadaran or the Cascade | | Tsitsernakaberd | Matenadaran | Cascade | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Genocide memorial and museum | Ancient manuscript library | Giant stairway and sculpture garden | | Entry | Free | Paid | Free | | Museum closed | Monday | See the place page | Galleries Mon–Thu | | Mood | Quiet and sombre | Calm and scholarly | Easy and sociable | | Getting there | ≈ 10 min by taxi | Walk from the centre | Walk from the centre | With one day, do Tsitsernakaberd in the morning, then switch to the centre: the [Matenadaran](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/matenadaran) and the Cascade are next to each other. ## Yerevan’s history sights compared Historic places in and around Yerevan rated by YesGo. - [Geghard Monastery](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/geghard-monastery) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free - [Garni Temple](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/garni-temple) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · 1,500 AMD - [Armenian Genocide Memorial (Tsitsernakaberd)](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/tsitsernakaberd) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free; English guide 7,000 AMD per group - [Republic Square](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/yerevan-republic-square) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free - [Etchmiadzin Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/etchmiadzin-cathedral) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free; treasury 2,000 AMD - [Matenadaran](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/matenadaran) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · 2,000 AMD, under 6 free - [Khor Virap](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/khor-virap) — YesGo score 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · Free ## 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. 1. [Armenian Genocide Memorial (Tsitsernakaberd)](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/tsitsernakaberd) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free; English guide 7,000 AMD per group 2. [Matenadaran](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/matenadaran) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · 2,000 AMD, under 6 free 3. [Yerevan Cascade](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/yerevan-cascade) — YesGo score 58/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free 4. [Northern Avenue](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/yerevan-northern-avenue) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free ## Good to know Tsitsernakaberd Highway is also the address of the Dalma Garden Mall and several housing complexes. The memorial and museum are higher up the hill, at number 8/8, reached through the park. In a maps app search for “Armenian Genocide Memorial” or “Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute”. ## Tips - 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. ## How we checked Hours, 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. ## Sources - 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 --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.