Gagik Tsarukyan, Armenia's most flamboyant business tycoon and opposition politician, is pushing forward with plans to erect the world's tallest statue of Jesus Christ atop a 2,500-metre mountain overlooking Yerevan, despite opposition from the church and environmentalists.
Oligarch's grand vision
Tsarukyan, who secured less than 4% of the vote in this month's parliamentary election, hopes the 101-metre statue will become 'Armenia's calling card' and attract 10 million tourists annually. The monument, which will dwarf Brazil's Christ the Redeemer and stand taller than New York's Statue of Liberty, is designed to resonate with a global movement blending religious faith, nationalism and cultural conservatism, according to Tsarukyan.
'This will be Armenia's calling card,' Tsarukyan said during an interview at his estate in Arinj. 'Christianity will become Armenia's new brand.' He noted that Trump is invited to the unveiling, and an unofficial US delegation has already visited the site.
Controversy and criticism
The Armenian Apostolic Church has repeatedly opposed the project, arguing that its mass scale and style conflict with Armenia's religious and architectural traditions, which favour monasteries, churches and khachkars. Environmentalists warn that construction could damage the natural landscape of Hatis mountain. Tsarukyan dismissed these objections, pointing to eight churches he has financed across the country.
'We are the oldest Christian nation in the world,' Tsarukyan said. 'It only makes sense we should have the biggest Jesus statue in the world.'
Political and legal challenges
Tsarukyan's Prosperous Armenia party fell below the 4% threshold to enter parliament, a result he is challenging in court. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who rose to power in the 2018 Velvet Revolution vowing to dismantle the oligarchic system, has targeted Tsarukyan as a symbol of the old order. Days after the election, investigators charged Tsarukyan with tax-related offences. Tsarukyan denied allegations of attempting to flee to the UAE, insisting he was merely planning a short trip.
'How can a man be afraid?' Tsarukyan said. 'Why be afraid? What will they put me in prison for?'
Construction and future plans
Construction of the statue, which began in 2022, is ongoing at a site outside Yerevan, where the giant white figure looms over a construction yard. Tsarukyan's team abandoned plans to transport sections by helicopter in favour of hauling them by truck up the mountain. He also revealed plans for a giant Noah's Ark nearby, measuring 134 metres long, which will house a museum, hotel and cafe.
'These projects are sacred,' Tsarukyan said. 'This is how I will inscribe my name in history, for the world to see during my lifetime and long after.'
Public opinion remains divided. Taxi driver Arman, 54, called the statue 'beautiful' and said it would make Armenia known worldwide. Local resident Mariam, however, described it as 'a bit crass.'
