Peace Palace

Armenia

A cross stone (Khachkar) is a vertically erected flat stele in the open air which, when placed, stands in relation to the four cardinal points of the world. The western side has an ornamentally carved cross accompanied by vegetative-geometric motifs such as animals. Armenians place cross stones both in Armenia and in other countries where they settle. Thus, the cross-stone becomes the symbol and message of love, solidarity, collaboration and peace in peoples’ lives. The Khachkar is one of the most characteristic symbols of Armenian culture, and are more than 50,000 Khachkars worldwide. The symbolism and craftsmanship of Khachkars has been inscribed in 2010 on the UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Like the Peace Palace, it combines past, present and future. Though it is an ancient symbol of more than a thousand years old, the cross-stone remains a contemporary cultural expression.

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Armenian KhachkarCeremonial reveal of KhachkarArmenian-khachkar-Hague-4-scaled