Armenian Heritage Park

{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2022}}

{{Infobox building

| name = Armenian Heritage Park

| status =

| image = File:Armenian Heritage Park aerial 2024.jpg

| image_size = 250px

| caption = An aerial view of the park

| map_type = Boston

| map_caption = Armenian Heritage Park location within Boston

| coordinates = {{coord|42.361081|-71.053219|display=inline}}

| building_type = Park{{Cite web |url=http://www.rosekennedygreenway.org/parks/armenian-heritage-park/ |title=Armenian Heritage Park |access-date=2015-12-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151207203003/http://www.rosekennedygreenway.org/parks/armenian-heritage-park/ |archive-date=2015-12-07 |url-status=dead }}

| architectural_style =

| structural_system =

| cost = $5–6 million includes endowed programs including the Park's care

| location = Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway,
Boston, Massachusetts, United States

| groundbreaking_date = September 9, 2010

| start_date =

| completion_date =

| opened_date = May 22, 2012

| inauguration_date =

| height =

| architect =

| main_contractor =

| website = {{url|www.armenianheritagepark.org/}}

}}

Armenian Heritage Park is a memorial park dedicated to the victims of the Armenian genocide located on Parcel 13 on the Rose Kennedy Greenway between Faneuil Hall Marketplace and Christopher Columbus Park in Boston, Massachusetts.{{Cite web |url=http://www.rosekennedygreenway.org/parks/armenian-heritage-park/ |title=Armenian Heritage Park |access-date=2015-12-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151207203003/http://www.rosekennedygreenway.org/parks/armenian-heritage-park/ |archive-date=2015-12-07 |url-status=dead }}

The Park includes an abstract sculpture, split dodecahedron, that sits on a reflecting pool.{{cite news|title=Armenian Heritage Park opens to honor immigrants|author=Alejandra Matos|url=http://www.boston.com/metrodesk/2012/05/22/armenian-heritage-park-opens-honor-those-killed-genocide/KVcCePb9SpzcjUsa7RtovN/story.html

|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=May 22, 2012|access-date=August 18, 2012}}

The abstract sculpture has 24–26 different configurations, which symbolize the dispersion and coming together of immigrants from different shores.{{cite news|title=Heritage Park Monument Unveiled|author=Alin K. Gregorian|url=http://www.mirrorspectator.com/2012/05/03/heritage-park-monument-unveiled/|newspaper=Armenian Mirror-Spectator|date=May 3, 2012|access-date=August 21, 2012}}

The abstract sculpture is dedicated to lives lost during the Armenian genocide of 1915–1923 and all genocides that have followed.

The other part of it is a grass labyrinth that not only pays tribute to the contribution to the United States, but also represents the journey of life.{{cite news|title= Armenian Heritage Park hosts series of early morning walks|url=http://articles.boston.com/2012-07-17/yourtown/32716241_1_hosts-series-armenian-heritage-park-labyrinth|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130118114259/http://articles.boston.com/2012-07-17/yourtown/32716241_1_hosts-series-armenian-heritage-park-labyrinth|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 18, 2013|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=July 17, 2012|access-date=August 21, 2012}}

The Armenian Heritage Foundation, composed of dozens of Armenian American religious, cultural, and other organizations from around Massachusetts, raised from $5 million{{cite news|title=Design for tribute, gratitude|author=Meghan E. Irons|url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/06/06/design_for_tribute_gratitude/|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=June 6, 2010|access-date=April 22, 2012}} to $6 million{{cite news|title=Maintenance Firm Hired For Armenian Heritage Park; Greenway Conservancy Loses Bid|author= Matt Conti|url=http://northendwaterfront.com/2012/07/maintenance-firm-hired-for-armenian-heritage-park-not-the-greenway-conservancy/|newspaper=North End Waterfront.com|date=July 19, 2012|access-date=August 18, 2012}} for the park.

The groundbreaking ceremony on September 9, 2010, was attended by Governor Deval Patrick, Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, Registrar of Motor Vehicles Rachel Kaprielian, Sheriff of Middlesex County Peter Koutoujian, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and many Armenian-American citizens and City and Commonwealth officials.{{cite web|url=http://www.mass.gov/governor/pressoffice/pressreleases/2010/progress-of-armenian-heritage-park-celebration.html|title=Governor Patrick Celebrates Progress On Greenway's Armenian Heritage Park|date=September 9, 2010|publisher=The Official Website of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts|access-date=August 18, 2012}} Governor Patrick said that the park will be a "beautiful addition to the Greenway as well as a testament to the heritage of Armenian-Americans and Massachusetts' larger immigrant history". Mayor Menino also noted that the park "celebrates the distinctive history of the City of Boston and the generations of immigrants who have made Boston the wonderfully diverse community it is today".

Construction of the park was expected to be completed within 12 months, but actually lasted over a year and the park was opened on May 22, 2012.{{cite news|title=Mass. Gov. to dedicate Armenian Heritage Park |url=http://articles.boston.com/2012-05-22/news/31815449_1_dedication-ceremony-local-immigrant-community-massachusetts-gov |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=May 22, 2012 |access-date=August 18, 2012 }}{{dead link|date=November 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Eduard Nalbandyan and Governor Deval Patrick joined hundreds of attendees from the Armenian community at the dedication of the park.{{cite news|title=Hundreds Join in Celebration at Armenian Heritage Park|url=http://www.armenianweekly.com/2012/05/22/hundreds-join-in-celebration-at-armenian-heritage-park/|newspaper=The Armenian Weekly|date=May 22, 2012|access-date=August 18, 2012}}

Joanna Weiss, columnist for The Boston Globe, wrote in a 2015 opinion piece that the sculpture "might well be the gem of the Greenway: an example of public art that is both permanent and alive."{{Cite news |last=Weiss |first=Joanna |date=2015-04-11 |title=Change is permanent |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-change-is-permanent/166917683/ |access-date=2025-02-28 |work=The Boston Globe |pages=A11}}

On July 31, 2022, Armenian singer-songwriter Maléna, winner of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2021, performed her winning track "Qami Qami" at the park.{{Cite web |title=Junior Eurovision Winner Maléna Receives Armenian Scholarship to Berklee Summer Program {{!}} Berklee |url=https://www.berklee.edu/berklee-now/news/junior-eurovision-winner-malena-receives-armenian-scholarship-to-berklee-summer-program |access-date=2022-08-04 |website=www.berklee.edu |language=en}}