Unfinished 77-Metre Jesus Statue Draws Tourists in Armenian Village

A three-piece aluminium statue planned to stand 77 metres tall on Mount Hatis sits unfinished behind a corrugated iron fence in the village of Zovuni, about 30 minutes from Yerevan. The top section towers above nearby garages and homes, while smaller sculptures from earlier projects occupy the yard.

It would place a 33-metre figure atop a 44-metre pedestal, exceeding the height of Christ the Redeemer in Brazil. Tsarukyan stated at the time that the statue would act as "a guardian of our country and people" and represent hope after political upheaval and losses in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Work on the pedestal has begun on the mountain, while the aluminium sections remain in the village yard.

The Armenian Apostolic Church has opposed the project, stating that a statue of Jesus Christ conflicts with historical iconographic traditions and recommending a khachkar-style monument instead. In March the Church's Supreme Spiritual Council reaffirmed this position while noting Tsarukyan's prior support for church construction.

Tsarukyan's Prosperous Armenia party placed fourth in mid-June parliamentary elections, failing to secure seats.

Supporters say the completed statue could increase visitor numbers. Armenia recently began direct flights from London Luton to expand tourism links with western Europe. Former UFC champion Conor McGregor posted an AI-generated image on Instagram praising the project and calling for a similar monument in Ireland.

For now the aluminium pieces stay in storage and the pedestal construction continues on Mount Hatis.