Armenian oligarch who keeps lions wants world's largest Jesus statue
The Guardian on Armenian businessman Gagik Tsarukyan
The leader of the pro-Russian opposition party Prosperous Armenia, oligarch Gagik Tsarukyan, plans to build what he says will be the world’s tallest statue of Jesus Christ on Mount Hatis in Armenia, according to the British newspaper The Guardian. The paper’s reporter visited the businessman’s residence, his private zoo with lions and the construction site of the monument.
The Guardian notes that, despite his party’s poor performance in June’s parliamentary election, where Prosperous Armenia failed to clear the electoral threshold, one of the country’s best-known and wealthiest businessmen remains determined to carry out the ambitious project.
Tsarukyan says the monument is intended to become a pilgrimage site for millions of people.
“It will become Armenia’s calling card. Christianity will become Armenia’s new brand,” he told The Guardian.
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First, the businessman’s private zoo
The article opens with a description of the businessman’s residence in the village of Arinj, near Yerevan. Behind the estate’s high walls sits a private zoo housing tigers, lions and alligators. Inside one of the buildings, the reporter saw numerous hunting trophies.
“Beneath a gilded painted ceiling, the dining hall doubles as a taxidermy museum of sorts: white tigers rearing on their hind legs, a stuffed eagle on the table, and bear and wolf skins covering the floor. The owner says he hunted all of these animals himself,” The Guardian writes.
The newspaper notes that such displays of wealth have long formed part of the politician’s and businessman’s public image. Many Armenians link his success to the years when entrepreneurs amassed large fortunes in the aftermath of the Soviet Union’s collapse.
“A former athlete turned businessman and politician, Tsarukyan built his fortune through gambling, alcohol production and mining during the turbulent decades that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union,” the article says.
His party won less than 4% of the vote and failed to enter parliament. Tsarukyan is now challenging the election results in the Constitutional Court. However, one of Armenia’s richest men remains determined to leave his mark on history.
He wants the giant statue of Christ to become one of the largest religious monuments in the world.
A statue of Christ on a mountain overlooking Yerevan
Tsarukyan says the statue will stand 101 metres tall. He plans to place it on the summit of Mount Hatis, a 2,500-metre peak overlooking Yerevan. The site lies about 25 kilometres east of the capital. People will be able to see the statue from many parts of Yerevan. Visitors at the site will also enjoy panoramic views of the city.
The British newspaper notes that the monument will dwarf the famous Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro. It will also stand slightly taller than the Statue of Liberty in New York.
Tsarukyan links the project to Armenia’s special place in Christian history.
“We are the world’s oldest Christian nation. So it is only logical that we should have the world’s largest statue of Jesus,” he said.
The Guardian notes that Armenia became the first state to adopt Christianity as its official religion. It did so in 301 AD.
At the same time, the project has sparked significant controversy.
The Armenian Apostolic Church has repeatedly opposed the construction. Church representatives argue that Armenian religious tradition has expressed itself for centuries through monasteries, churches and khachkars – carved stone crosses that have become one of the symbols of Armenian culture. Critics say a giant statue does not fit into that tradition.
Environmental groups also oppose the project. They warn that construction work could damage the natural landscape of Mount Hatis.
Tsarukyan rejects those arguments. He told the newspaper that he maintains good relations with the Armenian Apostolic Church. He also noted that he had financed the construction of several churches across the country.
In the businessman’s view, the project’s significance extends far beyond religious symbolism.
The Guardian writes that Tsarukyan expects the monument to attract a huge number of visitors — up to 10 million people a year. He believes the statue will become a major new destination for tourists visiting Armenia.
“There is nothing like it anywhere in the world. From one ocean to the other, everyone will talk about it,” he said.
The newspaper notes that work on the monument began in 2022. Workers are currently assembling the statue at a site near Yerevan. Massive white sections of the structure tower over construction equipment and industrial buildings.
The project’s designers initially considered using helicopters to transport parts of the statue to the mountain summit. They later abandoned that idea. Instead, crews plan to deliver the components by truck and assemble them directly at the site.
The political context
The newspaper also highlights the political context surrounding the project.
The poor performance of Tsarukyan’s Prosperous Armenia party in June’s election marked another stage in the decline of his political influence. For two decades, he sought to play a major role in Armenian politics.
The Guardian writes that Tsarukyan strengthened his position through close ties with former Armenian president Robert Kocharyan. During those years, he significantly expanded his business empire and became one of the country’s most influential entrepreneurs.
Today, he remains one of the most recognisable representatives of the post-Soviet business elite. His private zoo, lavish mansions and collection of luxury cars have earned him both admiration from supporters and criticism from opponents.
The newspaper notes that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who came to power after the 2018 Velvet Revolution, has repeatedly portrayed Tsarukyan as a symbol of Armenia’s old and corrupt political and economic system.
The confrontation between the government and the opposition returned to the spotlight after the election. In a speech following the announcement of the results, Pashinyan named Tsarukyan among his political opponents. He also sharply criticised him and vowed to put him behind bars along with other opposition figures.
The following day, investigators charged the businessman in a case involving alleged tax violations.
Armenian media reported that Tsarukyan had tried to leave the country shortly beforehand. The businessman strongly denied those claims. He said he had simply planned a short trip to the United Arab Emirates and had no intention of evading the investigation.
In his conversation with The Guardian, he also expressed confidence that the ongoing political developments would not prevent him from completing the statue project.
“Why should a person be afraid? What is there to fear? What could they possibly send me to prison for?” he said.
Another of Tsarukyan’s ambitious projects: Noah’s Ark
Tsarukyan’s plans extend beyond the statue of Christ.
In the interview, the businessman told journalists about another project. He wants to build it near the statue of Jesus. The project centres on a giant Noah’s Ark.
According to Tsarukyan, the structure will measure 134 metres in length, 24 metres in width and 18 metres in height. He plans to include a museum, a hotel and a café inside.
The businessman believes both attractions can become new symbols of Armenia and draw visitors from around the world.
“These projects are sacred. This is how I will write my name into history, so that the world can see it during my lifetime and long after I am gone,” he said.
The Guardian notes that the world’s tallest statue of Jesus remains a large-scale construction project for now. Even so, it has already attracted the attention of local residents.
Some believe the monument will raise Armenia’s international profile and attract tourists. Others question whether the country needs such a grand project. Some critics describe the design as tasteless.
For Tsarukyan, however, the project appears to have become much more than an architectural initiative. He wants the statue on Mount Hatis to serve as his lasting legacy and as one of the most visible symbols of modern Armenia.
