Riga is a multinational city, where many different diasporas coexist. I would especially like to mention the Armenian community, which in Latvia is considered the largest among all the Baltic countries — about five thousand people. Of these, at least a fifth have Latvian citizenship.
Confirmation of the role of Armenians in the life of Riga can be seen in the fact that it was here, on Kojusalas Street, that in 1996 the only canonical church of the Armenian Apostolic Church in all the northern European countries was founded.
The traditional cross-stone khachkar has stood on Bastion Hill since 1990. It was installed as a sign of gratitude from the Armenian people of Latvia for the assistance provided during the earthquakes in Armenia in 1988, as well as in memory of the Armenian genocide.
A very simple sculpture, created by Samvel Muradyan, has great significance for all Armenians living in Riga and the Baltics. At the foot of the monument you can always see fresh flowers, and on days of national holidays and other significant events, many people from Armenia usually gather here. Some of them, although born in Latvia, nevertheless honor and remember their cultural and religious traditions.
