A striking new monument named the Ark of National Memory was officially unveiled at the grounds of the Hellenic Ministry of National Defense in Athens. The work, created by renowned sculptor and professor at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Kostas Varotsos, stands as a solemn tribute to the 121,692 fallen heroes who lost their lives in Greece’s national struggles.

The unveiling ceremony, held the day after Greek Independence Day, was attended by prominent Greek political figures, including former Prime Ministers Kostas Karamanlis and Antonis Samaras, as well as Hellenic Parliament Speaker Nikitas Kaklamanis and Defense Minister Nikos Dendias. Other high-ranking officials from across the political spectrum, the Hellenic Army, local government, and Greece’s business community were also present.

Ark on National Memory / Photo Credit: Kathimerini/Intime

The Ark of National Memory is surrounded by two small olive groves, with 25 and 28 trees respectively—symbolically representing Greece’s Independence and Oxi day respectively. An additional 400 trees were planted in the ministry’s larger grove, symbolizing the 400 years of Turkish occupation.

Sculptor Kostas Varotsos explained his vision behind the monument. “The idea I had was to create a labyrinth full of silence where the names [of the heroes] would float around the visitor, conveying the energy and the sense of existence in the relationship between death and life.”

Cover Photo Credit Michalis Karagiannis / Eurokinnisi

“Now that I see it completed,” he added, “I feel something sacred. Art always chases the sacred, the transcendental. Within this monument, I felt a dimension of a church. I tried to give a sense of catharsis.”

“This is a monument to those who fell in wars, situated within the grounds of the Ministry of Defense, which deals with war. Therefore, it understands the value of peace,” he concluded.

Cover Photo Credit Michalis Karagiannis / Eurokinnisi