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Père Komitas Statue at Jardin D’Erevan in Paris

Amble through the 8ème arrondissement in Paris and you’re likely to find an imposing tall statue of a man set amidst tranquil grounds by the river Seine.

Père Komitas - Jardin D'Erevan Paris

Père Komitas

Père Komitas (1869-1935), born Soghomon Gevorki Soghomonyan, and renamed Komitas after the 7th century Armenian catholicos, who was also a hymn writer, was an Armenian priest and composer. His statue which is located at Jardin D’Erevan, commemorates the victims of the Armenian Genocide in Paris.

Père Komitas - Jardin D'Erevan Paris

The relatively unknown jardin was inaugurated on 12 March 2009 by French foreign affairs minister Edvard Nalbandian in the presence of legendary French singer Charles Aznavour and chanteuse Helène Ségara, both Armenian in heritage. Erevan is the French name for Yerevan, the capital of Armenia.

Père Komitas - Jardin D'Erevan Paris

The plaques, in French and Armenian, commemorate his life as a composer, the 1500 000 victims of the Armenian genocide in 1915 under the Ottoman empire, as well as the Armenians who have fought and died for France.

Père Komitas - Jardin D'Erevan Paris

The statue is located near the Pont des Invalides close to the intersection of Cours Albert 1er and Cours la Reine. The closest métro stations are Invalides and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

About the author

Corinne Mossati

Corinne Mossati is a drinks writer, author of GROW YOUR OWN COCKTAIL GARDEN, SHRUBS & BOTANICAL SODAS and founder/editor of Gourmantic, Cocktails & Bars and The Gourmantic Garden. She has been writing extensively about spirits, cocktails, bars and cocktail gardening in more recent years. She is a spirits and cocktail competition judge, Icons of Whisky Australia nominee, contributor to Diageo Bar Academy, cocktail developer and is named in Australian Bartender Magazine's Top 100 Most Influential List. Her cocktail garden was featured on ABC TV’s Gardening Australia and has won several awards. She is a contributor to Real World Gardener radio program and is featured in several publications including Pip Magazine, Organic Gardener, Australian Bartender and Breathe (UK). Read the full bio here.

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