Armenian Pantheon Cemetery, Tbilisi, Georgia

The Khodjivank Pantheon (also called Pantheon of writers and public figures on Avlabari) was founded in XVII century by Ashkharbek Bejbutian in a cemetery given to him by Georgian Tsar Rostom. The Tsar also gave him the title of Khodji (a “Sir” in Persian). At the cemetery a Khoji monastery was built and called Khodjivank. Eventually the surroundings of the monastery turned into a cemetery where more than 1000 of famous Armenians are buried including public and cultural figures. Later in 1930s the cemetery was demolished and thanks to the painter Grigor Sharbabchian some remains of it were preserved and the current cemetery was founded. The plan of the pantheon was carried out by architect Ruben Aghababian and was opened in 1961. The pantheon was renovated in 2002.