Yerablur
Yerablur (Armenian: Եռաբլուր, lit. 'three hills') is a military pantheon and cemetery on a hilltop in southwestern Yerevan, Armenia, dedicated to soldiers killed in defense of the nation.[1]
Established amid the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, it has served since 1988 as the primary burial ground for Armenian combatants lost in that conflict and subsequent military engagements, including the 2020 Second Nagorno-Karabakh War.[2][3]
The site encompasses rows of graves marked with photographs, ranks, and dates of death, underscoring the human cost of territorial disputes over Nagorno-Karabakh, where Armenian forces sought to secure the region's Armenian-majority enclave against Azerbaijani reclamation.[4]
Yerablur also houses chapels, such as the Saint Vartan Chapel, and memorials to historical military leaders, functioning as a focal point for national commemoration and reflection on sacrifices amid cycles of conflict and loss.[5][6]
History
Establishment and Pre-1990s Origins
Yerablur, situated on a hilltop in the Malatia-Sebastia district southwest of central Yerevan, emerged as a burial site for Armenian soldiers amid the escalating Nagorno-Karabakh conflict that began in 1988.[5] [1] The name Yerablur, translating to "three hills" in Armenian (Եռաբլուր), reflects the site's topography across elevated terrain, chosen for its symbolic prominence during a period of rising ethnic tensions within the Soviet Union.[7] Initial informal burials occurred here from 1988 onward, marking the site's origins as a response to early casualties from Armenian self-defense efforts against pogroms in Azerbaijan and regional disputes.[3] [8] The pantheon's conceptual roots lie in late Soviet Armenian military commemorative practices, where honoring fallen defenders aligned with broader USSR traditions of dedicated memorials for wartime heroes, though Yerablur specifically addressed emerging national defense needs post-perestroika.[9] Officially established around 1990-1992 by the newly independent Armenian government, it was designated as a military cemetery to centralize burials of those lost in the unfolding conflicts, with early planning emphasizing a structured layout for graves on the hillside.[1] [5] This foundational phase preceded major expansions, focusing on basic infrastructure to serve as a nascent national repository for military sacrifices without yet accommodating large-scale war dead.[10] Government funding supported the site's initial setup, including terraced grave placements and rudimentary access paths, establishing Yerablur as a symbol of resolve during Armenia's transition from Soviet republic to sovereign state.[1] The elevated location evoked historical precedents of prominent burials for warriors, though direct ties to pre-modern Armenian customs remain interpretive rather than documented in primary establishment records.[3] By the early 1990s, prior to intensified fighting, Yerablur functioned primarily as a modest pantheon embodying collective mourning and martial honor amid geopolitical upheaval.[5]Burials from Nagorno-Karabakh Conflicts
During the First Nagorno-Karabakh War (1988–1994), Yerablur served as the primary burial site for Armenian military personnel killed in the conflict, with Armenian official data reporting approximately 6,000 soldier deaths over the period.[11] Many graves from this era contain unidentified remains or soldiers whose bodies were repatriated from contested areas, reflecting the protracted nature of frontline recoveries.[12] The April 2016 Four-Day War resulted in around 77–92 Armenian military fatalities, according to analyses of official lists, with the deceased interred at Yerablur following defensive operations along the line of contact.[13] These burials highlighted vulnerabilities in Armenian positions, including shortages in heavy weaponry and reconnaissance, as detailed in post-conflict military assessments.[14] In the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War (September 27–November 10, 2020), Armenian authorities confirmed 3,825–3,937 military deaths and 44 civilian fatalities, leading to an influx of burials at Yerablur, often in coordinated post-ceasefire ceremonies for repatriated remains.[15][16] Casualty patterns were influenced by Azerbaijani employment of unmanned aerial vehicles, such as Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones, which inflicted significant losses on Armenian armor and infantry through precision strikes, per independent military reviews.[17]Post-2020 War Expansions and Developments
Following the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, Yerablur expanded to accommodate burials of fallen Armenian soldiers, with new sections developed for victims of that conflict and subsequent hostilities.[18] In November 2023, additional gravesites were actively prepared at the pantheon for those killed amid the military pressures leading to the dissolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.[18] These expansions reflect the site's ongoing adaptation to increased interments, estimated at around 741 graves for defending soldiers as of recent visitor accounts, though digital databases suggest broader records exceeding 9,000 entries.[8][19] On September 2, 2025, the "Call of Artsakh" memorial complex was unveiled at Yerablur to honor combatants and civilians lost in the Artsakh wars, coinciding with the 34th anniversary of Artsakh's independence declaration.[20][21] Spanning 500 square meters, the complex features a central six-meter-high monument encircled by khachkars (Armenian cross-stones), designed to evoke the persistent Armenian bond to the region despite territorial losses.[22] The structure was consecrated by Bishop Vertanes Abrahamyan, underscoring its role in preserving collective memory.[22] Digital initiatives have supplemented physical expansions, with the hush.am platform offering searchable online records of Yerablur graves to facilitate family access and maintenance, particularly vital for the approximately 100,000 Armenians displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023.[19][23]Physical Characteristics
Location and Terrain
Yerablur is located in the western outskirts of Yerevan, Armenia, atop the highest hill among the Yerablur hills, from which the site derives its name, meaning "three hills" in Armenian.[1] The pantheon sits at an elevation of 951 meters above sea level, positioned to the right of the Yerevan-Etchmiadzin highway, facilitating road access from the city center approximately 15 minutes away by vehicle.[8]
The terrain consists of interconnected hills providing a naturally elevated and somewhat isolated setting amid Yerevan's expanding urban periphery, with the site's total area spanning 19.22 hectares.[24] Armenia's seismic activity in the region necessitates considerations for soil stability and erosion in maintenance efforts, though the hilltop configuration enhances defensibility and visibility, echoing historical fortifications in the Armenian highlands.[4]