The statue of David of Sasun

David of Sassoun (« ») is a copper equestrian statue portraying David of Sassoun (Sasuntsi Davit’) in Yerevan, Armenia. Erected by the sculptor and artist Yervand Kochar in 1959, it depicts the protagonist of the Armenian national epic Daredevils of Sassoun. It is placed on a basalt base shaped to resemble natural rock formations. The statue stands at the center of a round reflecting pool in a large square in front of Yerevan's central railway station. The first version of the statue was originally erected in 1939 for the thousandth anniversary of the epic, but two years later, the statue was destroyed and Kochar was arrested. Since its erection, the statue has been widely admired and has become a symbol of Yerevan. Following a decline in arrivals to the city via train, there have been frequent calls to relocate the statue to Yerevan's Republic Square. It is designated as a national monument by the Armenian government.

Monument data from Wikidata (CC0). Summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).