Хачкар скульптура

Park "Armenia" and the worship cross Khachkar are located in the multinational city of Astrakhan, Russian Federation. The settlement has about 530,000 people and is recognized as one of the historically valuable cities in Russia. The cultures of many nations are intertwined here. In November 2008, the opening and consecration of the Armenian worshiping cross Khachkar and a three-arch stele took place on the territory of the "Armenia" park. The monument was erected at the expense of the local Armenian diaspora. Translated into Russian, khachkar means "cross-stone". This is one of the most ancient types of monuments characteristic of Armenian culture. It is a stone slab on the surface of which a cross is skillfully carved. The architectural composition is located on the site of the first stone Armenian church in Russia, destroyed during the Soviet era at the beginning of the 20th century. The worship cross Khachkar was made by Armenian craftsmen in their homeland from a wear-resistant material - red tuff. The monument was delivered to Astrakhan by sea along the Caspian Sea. The cross itself is surrounded by a three-arched wall about 3.5 meters high. Each arch is crowned with a bell with an inscription indicating in honor of which holiday it is consecrated. The first symbolizes the 450th anniversary of the city of Astrakhan, the second - the 300th anniversary of the first Armenian stone church in Russia, the third - the 290th anniversary of the Armenian Diocese in Russia.