Monument to the Hero of the Battle of Karakilisa Captain Gurgen Ter-Movsisyan

In the center of Dilijan, next to the building of the former cinema, a monument will be erected to the hero of the Battle of Karakilisa, artilleryman captain Gurgen Ter-Movsisyan.

In late May 1918, when the command ordered Armenian troops to retreat from Karakilisa (present-day Vanadzor), a native of Artsakh and member of the military council captain Gurgen Ter-Movsisyan refused to obey to the order.

Lieutenant Garegin Ter-Harutyunyan (Garegin Nzhdeh) joined the rebellious captain. Together, they organized the defense of Karakilisa.

Gurgen Ter-Movsisyan with his artillery fighters took down enemy positions with artillery fire. Then, he took part in a cavalry attack, inspiring the soldiers with his own example. He perished in the battle, to the last serving as an example to others.

His body was transported from the battlefield to Dilijan and buried in the courtyard of the city church. During the Soviet era, both the church and the hero’s grave were destroyed.

The city church was located in the place of the cinema building, which is why it was decided to erect a monument to the hero Gurgen Ter-Movsisyan there.

Ruben Shukhyan