Tsovinar: The Iconic Soviet Monument of Hrazdan

This Soviet-era monument on the shores of Aghbyurak Reservoir in Hrazdan city carries the full official name "Long Live the Blue and Clear Sky." Dedicated to the 40th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), it stands as a powerful reminder of the Armenian nation's active participation. Sculpted by the artist Khachatur Hakobyan (1951-2015), the monument is also referred to as "Parvana" in certain documents. However, it is more widely known by its unofficial name, "Tsovinar."

Originally installed in 1985 near the entrance to Hrazdan from the village of Kaghsi in the Kotayk region, the statue was later moved to its current location within the artificial reservoir-pond of the Atarbekyan Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP), which had been put into operation in 1959. Today, the official name of the reservoir is Aghbyurak, but it is also unofficially known as Hrazdan or Tsovinar.

Aghbyurak reservoir itself, which comprises the Hrazdan and Tsovinar lakes, adds a serene and reflective atmosphere to the monument's setting. Despite being one of the most iconic symbols of Hrazdan, this Soviet monument has yet to be included in the official list of immovable monuments of history and culture.

Who is Tsovinar?

In Armenian mythology, Tsovinar was the fierce goddess of water, sea, and rain. Scholar James R. Russell translates name Tsovinar as "Lady of the Lake," deriving it from tsov ("sea") and the Iranian nār ("woman"). Tsovinar was seen as the female personification of thunder and lightning. She was believed to play in the clouds during thunderstorms, sending either destructive hail or life-giving rain to the earth below.

During periods of drought, Armenians would perform rituals and sing songs to Tsovinar, pleading with her to bring rain to their parched fields. Her powerful presence is also felt in the Armenian heroic epic poem "Daredevils of Sassoun," where she is depicted as the mother of the divine twins Sanasar and Bagdasar, whom she conceives after drinking from a sacred spring during a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

The statue, commonly referred to as "Tsovinar," embodies this mythological figure's formidable spirit, making it a unique and culturally rich destination for those interested in Soviet monuments, Armenian mythology, and urbex tours in Armenia.

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