Republic Square is the central city square of the capital of Armenia. The architectural ensemble was designed in the early 20s of the last century, and construction was carried out until the end of the 50s. Important government buildings, cultural and entertainment facilities are located here. Due to the high (up to 50 thousand people) capacity, the Republic Square in Yerevan became the central place of the protests in 2018, which led to dramatic political changes in the country.

Historical reference

A city square of various configurations has existed in the center of Yerevan for many centuries. During excavations in 2003, more than old layer pavement XVIII-XIX century. The general plan of 1906 provided for the restructuring and ennoblement of this territory. The project was prepared by Boris Mehraban and partially implemented in 1911.

After the inclusion of Armenia into the structure, the government decided to rebuild in Yerevan anew. For this, large funds were allocated. The design was carried out by the famous architect Alexander Tamanyan as part of a new, more progressive master plan for the capital. As planned, the area was supposed to have a strict oval shape. However, during the construction process, it was necessary to take into account the peculiarities of the terrain, and part of the form was made in the form of a trapezoid. This did not affect the solemn appearance of the heart of the city.

Construction

In 1924 ended Civil War, but skirmishes with armed formations in the Caucasus continued further. Many areas of life required immediate funding. In these difficult conditions, in order to strengthen the national spirit, work began on the reconstruction of the Republic Square in Yerevan.

Construction started in 1926 with the erection of the basalt foundation of the Government House. top collected from local tufa. As was customary in the USSR, the square was named after the leader of the proletariat - V.I. Lenina (Lenini Khraparak). His statue took center stage in 1940. However, by the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, only part of the project was implemented. During the Second World War, all free resources were directed to finance the army and defense enterprises. Immediately after the victory, work was continued at an accelerated pace. By 1958, a complex of five buildings was ready. The National Gallery was commissioned in 1977.

Architecture

Of course, the central place on the Republic Square in Yerevan is occupied by the Government House building No. 1. Initially, it housed the People's Commissariat of Armenia. Today, the Council of Ministers sits here. The northwestern wing was built under the leadership of Alexander Tamanyan (1926-1929), the rest was completed by his son Gevorg. The main work was completed in 1941.

At the beginning of the 50s, work began on the construction of the Museum of the History of Armenia. The concert hall of Arno Babajanyan built in 1916 was included in it. Eduard Sarapian and Mark Grigoryan worked on the project. In 1977, the National Gallery was added.

One of the sides of the Republic Square oval in Yerevan is occupied by a luxurious Marriott hotel. However, it has been leading its history since 1958 and was called “Armenia” in Soviet times.

The Government House Building No. 2 is occupied by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The building belongs to a later historical period and has absorbed the architectural trends of the 50s. Varazdat Arevshatyan, Rafael Israelyan and Samvel Safaryan were responsible for its construction.

The main building of the post office of the Republic of Armenia is also present on the square. Its construction began in 1933, but during the war it was actually suspended. The work was completed only in 1956. The authors of the project are Eduard Sarapyan, Mark Grigoryan. Until 2016, the building was the home of the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Other sights of the Republic Square in Yerevan:

• Singing Fountains. A true decoration of the architectural ensemble. Their first discovery took place in the late 60s. In 2007, they were reconstructed by the French company Aquatique Show International, for which 1.4 million euros were spent.
• Drinking fountain. An interesting object of small architectural forms, located near the museum complex. It is called "Seven Springs" by the number of jets of water.
• Christmas tree. Set annually on New Year's Eve.

In 1991, the monument to Lenin was demolished. Until now, discussions have not ceased about what to put in its place.

How to get to Republic Square in Yerevan?

The object is located in the very center of the city. Accordingly, visiting it will not be any problem. The easiest (but not the cheapest) way is by taxi. This option is quite appropriate, given the knowledge (rather ignorance) of the Armenian language by foreign travelers.

If it is possible to use personal transport, you need to go to one of the central highways of Yerevan - Khanjyan Street and move towards the center. At the intersection with Aram Street, turn northwest. Literally after 500 meters the square will appear in all its glory. Also, the streets of Sargsyan, Nalbandyan, Abovyan, Buzand, Mets and Amiryan lead to the object.

When driving by public transport (bus, trolleybus or minibus), you must get off at the stop of the same name Republic Square. You can also take the metro to the center. Although the stopping points are announced in Armenian, the names of the stations are duplicated in Russian. The required station is also called Republic Square.

It is located on the left-bank part of the Ararat valley, along the Araks river. Population - 1,121,900 people (2011).

Yerevan is the most important transport hub, as well as the political, economic, cultural and scientific center of the country.

The architectural monuments and sights of Yerevan are concentrated in the city center, an area originally designed and built by architect Alexander Tamanyan in the first half of the 20th century. Since that time, many buildings have appeared and disappeared in the city, but the layout and general architectural appearance, in general, has been preserved.

The most common building material is pink tuff, thanks to which Yerevan received the name of the "Pink City".

Climate

The climate in Yerevan is temperate continental, arid. Summers are hot and dry, winters are mild and with little snow. Autumn is long and warm, until mid-November the weather is warm. Spring starts from March.

The average air temperature in July is +24…+26 °C, in January -2…-6 °C.

Last modified: 25.10.2011

Story

The year of foundation of Yerevan is considered the year of foundation of the Urartian city of Erebuni - 782 BC. e., located on the southern outskirts of modern Yerevan, although there is no evidence indicating the existence of a significant settlement at the location of the city in the period from the 4th century BC. e. to the 3rd century AD

The earliest mention of the city in Armenian sources - in the "Book of Letters" - refers to the year 607. Further, Yerevan is mentioned in connection with Arab conquest: in August 650 he was besieged by the Arabs, but without success.

The city fell under the rule of the Arabs in 658. In 660, an anti-Arab uprising took place there. The defeat by Tamerlane in 1387 dealt a heavy blow to the city. During the reign of Kara-Koyunlu and Ak-Koyunlu, Yerevan was an important cultural center, despite the fact that until 1441 its management remained in the hands of the Armenians.

In the 16th-17th centuries, Yerevan, like the entire region, served as the arena of the devastating Iranian-Turkish wars, which had a serious impact on the demography of the region.

During the struggle between Ottoman Empire and Persia, Yerevan changed hands 14 times.

As a result of the wars, by 1804 the population of Yerevan was reduced to 6 thousand inhabitants, but by 1827 the population of the city was already more than 20 thousand.

During the first Russian-Persian war, the Yerevan fortress was twice unsuccessfully besieged by the Russians (in 1804 by Tsitsianov and in 1808 by Gudovich). On October 5, 1827, Yerevan was taken by the troops of Paskevich (who received the title of Count of Erivan for this); V next year Under the terms of the Turkmanchay Peace, the Erivan Khanate became part of the Russian Empire.

Despite the status of the capital of the province, Erivan retained the appearance of a poor provincial-eastern city, with one-two-story adobe houses, narrow winding streets.

In 1902, the first railway line passed through Erivan, connecting it with Alexandropol (Gyumri) and Tiflis, in 1908 the second line connected it with Julfa and Persia, which contributed to its economic development.

In May 1918, Erivan becomes the capital of the Republic of Armenia. In early December 1920, Erivan was occupied by the Red Army; On February 18, 1921, as a result of a nationwide uprising, Soviet power was overthrown, but on April 2, the Red Army re-entered Yerevan, in which Soviet power was established for 70 years.

Under Soviet rule, a large-scale reconstruction of Yerevan began, carried out since 1924 according to the project of Alexander Tamanyan, who developed a special national style using elements of traditional church architecture and tuff as a building material.

Since the beginning of 1988 in Yerevan, on the square near the Opera House, mass rallies of the Karabakh movement began, which grew into the movement for the independence of Armenia.

Last modified: 25.10.2011

Yerevan public transport

Yerevan City Public Transport - buses, trolleybuses, minibuses And metro.

Previously, there were trams in Yerevan, but since January 21, 2004, their movement was officially closed (due to high costs).

Until 2004, Yerevan had a cable car that connected the Nork plateau with the city center. On March 2, 2004, a wagon collapsed on the cable car, it fell from a great height, as a result 3 people were killed, 5 were injured. Since then, the road has stopped working.

Yerevan Metro

Yerevan Metro was opened on March 7, 1981. The construction of the subway was started in 1972, initially as a metrotram, during construction it was converted into a subway.

Today, the subway has 10 stations located on two lines, with a total length of 12.1 km. Eight more stations are planned to be built.

The fare from 1.07.2011 is 100 AMD (1 trip).

Yerevan metro map
Last modified: 25.10.2011

Airports in Yerevan

There are two airports in the vicinity of Yerevan:

Zvartnots International Airport- located 12 km west of Yerevan, has a transit zone.

From the Airport to the center of Yerevan can be reached by public transport - by bus and fixed-route taxi 250 drams (about $0.8) travel time - 40 minutes or by taxi from 1.300 to 4.500 drams (from $4.2 to $14.8) travel time - 15 minutes.

Erebuni airport- a mixed civil and military airport, located 7 km south of the center of Yerevan. Currently, the airport is mainly used by the military.

At the same time, the airport is also used by private enterprises that carry out charter helicopter flights both within the country and to the CIS countries.

Last modified: 25.10.2011

Station "Yerevan"

Station "Yerevan" - main railroad station Yerevan, located on the David of Sasun Square.

Long distance trains:

Yerevan - Batumi (only in summer)

Yerevan – Tbilisi

commuter trains

Yerevan – Gyumri

Yerevan – Araks

Yerevan – Armavir

Yerevan – Ararat

Yerevan - Yeraskh

Armenia is connected by international railway communication only with Georgia (Tbilisi and Batumi).

Last modified: 25.10.2011

Architecture and sights of Yerevan

The center of the architectural ensemble of the city is Republic Square(1924-1958), the shape of which is formed by 5 buildings: the building of the National Historical Museum of Armenia (there are singing fountains in front of it), the building of the Government of Armenia with the main clock of the country on the tower, the Central building of the RA post office, the Mariott Armenia hotel, the building of the Ministry of Foreign affairs and energy.

From the north, the newly built Pedestrian Northern Avenue, with a length of about 1500 m, connecting it with the territory of the Opera House. Around the theater there are numerous squares and monuments, as well as the famous "Swan Lake", to the north of it is the second largest square in Yerevan - France Square.

From the Republic Square and the Opera House, the largest streets of Yerevan diverge in all directions, leading to all its other districts.

Opera theatre or the Armenian Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet named after. A. Spendiarov - located in the very center of Yerevan, was established in 1933, received its own building in 1940.

- the main historical museum of Armenia. It was founded in 1921 together with the Art Gallery of Armenia, with which it shares a common building of the museum complex. The National Historical Museum occupies the lower two floors of the complex.

The exposition of the museum is divided into several sections: archaeological, ethnographic, numismatics, historical architecture, and modern and recent history of Armenia.

The museum presents objects of material culture found on the territory of Armenia and related to periods from the Stone Age to the end of the 19th century.

National Art Gallery - the main museum of fine arts of Armenia. The gallery was founded in 1921 and is part of Museum complex occupying its upper floors from the third to the eighth (the lower two floors of the building are occupied by the National Historical Museum of Armenia).

The State Art Gallery of Armenia is one of the largest museums in the CIS, and according to the collection of the Armenian visual arts- the largest in the world.

The funds of the Art Gallery of Armenia contain more than 20 thousand works of art, the fund of the Western European department has more than 350 canvases and drawings.

- one of the historical museums in Yerevan, located on the Arin-Berd hill, next to the remains of the Urartian fortress of Erebuni. The museum was opened in 1968 on the occasion of the 2700th anniversary of the founding of the city of Erebuni.

The museum contains many exhibits that were discovered as a result of excavations of the Erebuni fortress itself in 1950-1959 and excavations of the neighboring Urartian city of Teishebaini, which took place on the Karmir Blur hill in 1939-1958.

The most valuable finds, in particular items made of gold and silver, such as the statuette of the god Teisheba, were transported to Historical Museum Armenia is the main museum of the country, and only copies of these finds are exhibited in the Erebuni Museum. The most valuable exhibits of the Erebuni Museum proper are 23 cuneiform tablets of the Urartian period.

The territory of the museum includes the remains of the fortress walls of Erebuni and a partial reconstruction of some halls of the royal palace, located in the open air behind the main museum building on the top of the Arin-Berd hill.

Monument Cascade– monumental architectural structure in the form of a system of stairs, fountains, sculptures and flower beds on the slopes of the Kanaker hills. At the top there is an observation deck from which you can see beautiful view on the city against the backdrop of Mount Ararat.

Tsitsernakaberd (Tsitsernakaberd)- a memorial complex in Yerevan, dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Located on the hill of the same name.

The 44-meter stele symbolizes the will to rebirth of the Armenian people. Along the entire stele from the base to the top stretches deep cut or a fault that divides it into two parts. The arrow symbolizes the divided Armenian people, the smaller part of which lives in Armenia, and the larger part lives in the Diaspora.

Next to the stele is a pedestal - a cone formed by twelve large stone slabs. In the center of the cone, at a depth of 1.5 meters, an eternal flame burns.

In the same place, next to the stele, there is a hundred-meter Wall of Mourning with the names of the places (towns and villages) along which the path of the deported during the Armenian genocide passed.

The last completed building of the complex was the Genocide Museum opened in 1995 at the other end of the park, which is almost entirely underground, consists of two floors with a total area of ​​2000 m².

The museum presents some of the photographs taken by German photographers, as well as their publications. Not far from the museum is an alley where foreign statesmen plant trees in memory of the victims of the genocide.

- the largest Armenian cathedral in Yerevan. Built (1997-2001) in memory of the 1700th anniversary of the adoption of Christianity by Armenia as the state religion. It is also a repository of relics associated with Gregory the Illuminator. The relics were brought here from Naples, and after the consecration of the temple, Pope John Paul II visited the cathedral.

The cathedral consists of three temples: the church of St. Tiridates III (150 seats), the church of the Holy Queen Ashkhen (150 seats) and the cathedral itself with 1700 seats. The names for the churches were not chosen by chance. King Tiridates III and Queen Ashkhen helped Saint Gregory the Illuminator to spread the Christian faith in Armenia.

The total area of ​​the complex is about 3822 sq. m, the height from the ground to the top of the cross is 54 meters.

Blue Mosque- the cathedral mosque of Yerevan, built in 1766 by the local Turkic Khan of the Erivan Khanate, Huseynali Khan Qajar. The area of ​​the mosque is 7000 sq. m. In the southeastern part of the mosque there is a minaret 24 m high, there are 28 pavilions, a library in the northern part, a main hall and a dome in the southern part, and a courtyard.

IN Soviet years turned, first in 1931, into the Museum of the City of Yerevan, then into a planetarium, at present it is one of the cultural centers of the Iranian community in Armenia.

or Institute of Ancient Manuscripts- Research Center under the Government of the Republic of Armenia, which is one of the largest manuscript repositories in the world.

The funds of the Matenadaran include more than 17 thousand ancient manuscripts and more than 100 thousand ancient archival documents. Along with 13 thousand Armenian manuscripts, more than 2000 manuscripts in Russian, Hebrew, Latin, Arabic, Syriac, Greek, Japanese, Persian and other languages ​​are kept here.

The building where the institute is currently located was built in 1959 according to the project of architect Mark Grigoryan.

- a monument in honor of the victory Soviet Union in the Great Patriotic War in Yerevan. It is located in the Haghtanak park, towering over the city center. Built in 1950. The height is 54 m, of which 22 m is the height of the statue.

Initially, a monument to Stalin was erected on the pedestal, which was dismantled in 1962. The statue "Mother Armenia" (1967) is made of chased copper, symbolizes the power and greatness of the Motherland. Represents an image of a mother sheathing a sword. At the mother's feet lies a shield. The sculpture is characterized by a stylized form of hands, strict features of clothing.

At the base of the monument is the Museum of the Ministry of Defense, which exhibits exhibits from the times of the Great Patriotic and Karabakh wars: personal belongings, weapons, documents and portraits of heroes. Around the pedestal are exhibited samples of weapons of that time.

- on the David of Sasunsky square in front of the building of the Yerevan railway station. David of Sasun is a medieval epic that tells about the struggle of the heroes from Sasun (a region in historical Armenia, now in Turkey) against the Arab invaders.

- here are approximately 60% of the all-Armenian stocks of cognac spirits of various aging periods. This is the leading enterprise in Armenia for the production of alcoholic beverages.

Also worth a visit in Yerevan water park "Yerevan Water World", Botanical Garden And Zoo.

Last modified: 25.10.2011

Sights of the environs of Yerevan

(Temple of Vigilant Forces, Temple of Heavenly Angels) - the greatest temple of early medieval Armenian architecture, located near Yerevan and Vagharshapat.

It was built in the 7th century under the Catholicos Nerses III the Builder, who planned to move his residence from Dvin to Vagharshapat. The consecration ceremony of the colossal temple was attended by the Byzantine emperor Constans II, who wished to build the same in Constantinople.

In the 10th century, the temple collapsed during an earthquake due to the weakness of the nodes of the supports of the second tier.

The ruins of Zvartnots were discovered by excavations in 1901-1907. To date, the first tier has been almost completely reconstructed.

In 2000, the ruins of the temple and the archaeological area around it were included in the list world heritage UNESCO.

- the ruins of the ancient city-fortress of the state of Urartu, the last stronghold of the Urartian statehood during the decline of Urartu. They are located on the Karmir Blur hill on the outskirts of modern Yerevan.

Teishebaini was founded in the 7th century BC. e. Tsar Rusa II.

At the southern foot of the Karmir Blur hill, on the site of the Urartian vineyard, a small building of the Teishebaini Museum was built, which is currently closed, and almost all of its funds have been transferred to the Erebuni Museum (with the exception of large stone fragments of the Teishebaini water conduits).

Last modified: 25.10.2011

Video of Yerevan

More than a third of the population of Armenia lives in Yerevan. The city is the cultural, economic and political center of the country. If we consider 782 BC (when the Erebuni fortress was founded) as the date of foundation of Yerevan, then it turns out that the Armenian capital is older than Rome. There are no magnificent palaces and monumental baroque facades here, but there are unique charm streets, parks and small squares.

Yerevan could not recover for a long time after the devastating events of the 1990s. After years of decline and lack of funding, many buildings and entire areas are in need of renovation. However, today it is clear that the city is reviving, turning into a beautiful and attractive place for tourists, where there are many worthy sights.

The best hotels and hostels at affordable prices.

from 500 rubles/day

What to see and where to go in Yerevan?

The most interesting and beautiful places for walking. Photos and a short description.

Architectural composition designed by A.O. Tomanyan. It consists of several elements: a museum (Cafesjian Center for the Arts), a staircase, a fountain and viewing platforms that offer a panoramic view of Yerevan. The museum collection is made up of an extensive collection of glassware, once owned by millionaire Levon Cafesjian, as well as interesting works of modern art.

The original work of the modern sculptor F. Botero is located in the square opposite the Cascade complex. She is a figure of a magnificent naked woman reclining on a pedestal with a cigarette in her hands. The installation of the sculpture caused a controversial reaction in society. Some citizens argued that this was a challenge to traditional moral principles, while others, on the contrary, considered it very original.

Research center and museum, where ancient Armenian manuscripts of great historical value are kept. In translation from Armenian, "matenadaran" means "repository of manuscripts." To date, the collection has several thousand manuscripts. It is believed that it has existed since the 5th century and was founded by the creator of the Armenian alphabet - M. Mashtots.

Memorial complex dedicated to the numerous victims of the genocide of the Armenian nation in 1915. The memorial was built on the hill of the same name in the 1960s on the initiative of the local authorities. It consists of a 44-meter stele split in two, a cone of stone slabs, inside of which an eternal flame burns, and a 100-meter Wall of Mourning. In 1995 the complex acquired an underground museum.

The opening of the exposition was timed to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the genocide. According to the idea of ​​the creators, the underground building of the museum is intended to symbolize the tomb, in which more than a million lives have been "buried" since 1915. The collection is located on two floors. Its exhibits tell about the terrible tragedy of the Armenian people, who had to endure simply inhuman suffering during the persecution organized by the Ottoman Empire.

The ruins of an ancient city in the Ararat valley, where the state of Urartu flourished long before the advent of our era. Presumably, Erebuni was erected under King Argishti I in the 8th century BC and served as a defensive structure. The date of foundation of the fortress is often considered the year of foundation of Yerevan. In the museum located next to Erebuni, you can see a collection of valuable artifacts from the ancient kingdom of Urartu.

The central square of the Armenian capital, built according to the project of A.O. Tomanyan in the middle of the 20th century. Its architectural appearance is formed by five buildings located along the perimeter. Among them is the History Museum of Armenia with a worthy collection of paintings by famous artists. In the middle of the square there is a singing fountain with illumination. The facades of the houses are lined with pink and white tuff, the foundations are made of basalt.

A monumental building made of tuff and basalt is located on Republic Square. It was erected in 1926-52. The facade is decorated with columns and high arched spans. Above the central arch is a tower with a clock face. Architectural style The building consists of a mixture of classics and medieval Armenian architecture. Today, some of the premises are used for exhibitions.

Charles Aznavour was born into a family of Armenian immigrants. To perpetuate the name of this famous chansonnier in 2001, the square near the Moscow cinema was renamed and named after the singer. He personally attended the opening ceremony of the renovated square. The building of the cinema itself, built in the 1930s in the style of constructivism, which was popular at that time, should be noted separately.

Pedestrian street stretching for 1.5 km from Republic Square to Opera Square. The avenue was laid on the site where previously private houses were located. The government bought the territory from the population and started construction only in 2001, although the project was conceived by A.O. Tomanyan at the beginning of the 20th century. The opening of the first part of the prospectus took place in 2006, the second and third - in 2007. Along the street are office buildings, luxury residential properties, restaurants and shops.

The gallery and the museum are located in one of the buildings on the central Republic Square. The museum exposition consists of ethnographic, archaeological, numismatic and historical departments. The collection of paintings includes works by Armenian, Russian and Western European artists. There are paintings by Aivazovsky, Levitan, Repin, Rubens, Tintoretto, Boucher.

A full-fledged musical theater was created on the basis of the opera class of the Yerevan Conservatory in 1932. A separate building was built by 1940. The southern facade of the stage is located opposite Freedom Square - one of the most beautiful places in Yerevan. There are monuments to the national poet of Armenia O.T. Tumanyan and composer A.A. Spendiarov.

S. Parajanov is an avant-garde director who made Armenian cinema famous all over the world. He was born and lived in Tbilisi. In 1991, after the death of the master, a museum dedicated to his name was opened in Yerevan. The exposition consists of the director's personal belongings, as well as works of art, from which one can get an idea of ​​the difficult life and creative path of this director. extraordinary person. Inside the museum, the interior of Parajanov's house in Tbilisi has been recreated.

The gallery presents works by contemporary artists of the post-Soviet space. Many paintings are of great cultural value. The museum offers guided tours, and it is possible to take an audio guide. There is also a souvenir shop where you can buy interesting author's things, and a cozy cafe in the courtyard, where visitors can relax from the bustle of the city with a cup of excellent Armenian coffee.

Carpet factory and carpet museum of the Megerian family. Already the third generation of this family is engaged in the manufacture and restoration of carpets (the beginning of the enterprise was laid in 1917 in the USA). In 2002, the Megeryans opened a workshop in Yerevan, which eventually grew into a large factory, larger than their other productions. All products are handmade by private orders using high quality wool and natural dyes.

The legendary plant is one of the symbols of Armenia. The famous "Ararat" is produced here, and several exclusive varieties of cognac are bottled exclusively for private orders: "Kilikia", "Sparapet", "Erebuni", "Noah's Ark". The production was founded in 1887 by the merchant N. Tairyants. The factory can be visited with a tour.

The building was erected in the 1950s on the very spot where the first railway line connecting Tiflis and Alexandropol passed at the beginning of the 20th century. A complete reconstruction of the complex was carried out in 2010. During repair work historical interiors were restored, communications were updated and modern equipment was supplied to meet the needs of the increased flow of passengers.

The temple was erected in the middle of the 18th century by order of Khan Huseynali Khan Qajar, who at that time was the ruler of the Erivan Khanate. The Blue Mosque symbolized the strength of the Armenian-Iranian friendship. To date, this is the only functioning mosque in the capital of the country, simultaneously performing the functions of the spiritual center of the Iranian community. The dome and part of the facade of the temple are lined with blue tiles.

The temple was built in 2001 according to the project of S. Kyurkchan with donations from the Manukyan, Gevorgyan and Nazaryan families. After Tsminda Sameba in Tbilisi, it is the largest Christian cathedral in Transcaucasia. It consists of three buildings: the church of St. Queen Ashkhen, the church of St. Tiridates III and the main building itself. The idea of ​​construction belonged to Catholicos Garegin I.

One of oldest temples Yerevan, built at the end of the 17th century. It is located in the central part of the capital. Previously, in its place there was a monastery and a chapel at the tomb of St. Ananias, which were destroyed during the earthquake. According to legend, the first temple was founded in the 7th century. The church was restored in the 1970s, after which it again became active.

A monument erected in 1967 in honor of the victory in the Great Patriotic War. It represents a decisive figure of a woman with a sword in her hands and a shield at her feet, personifying the Motherland. The monument is located on the territory of Haghtanak Park in the center of Yerevan. Inside the powerful pedestal is a museum dedicated to the Second World War and the events of the Karabakh wars.

Antique market between st. Buzand and st. Arama, where old books, coins, paintings, figurines are sold self made, carpets and jewelry. Many connoisseurs of antiquities, art historians and jewelers prefer to shop here. Tourists can buy unique souvenirs at Vernissage at fairly reasonable prices or just stroll among the stalls with unusual things.

The zoo was established in 1941 on the initiative of Professor A. Sarkisov. At the moment, about 300 species of animals (almost 3 thousand individuals) that arrived here from different parts of the world live on its territory. For animals, conditions close to natural have been created, up to imitation of self-procurement of food. The zoo is spread over a green area of ​​25 hectares in the north-eastern part of the city.

City public park in the central part of the capital of Armenia. Its history began in the 18th century. At that time it was located in the suburbs of Yerevan and was called the garden of Kozern. In the second half of the 20th century, the place became popular with couples in love, so in 1995 the city authorities decided to rename the square. In 2005-2008 the park was completely reconstructed.

The monastery at the foot of Mount Ararat, located near the Turkish border and about 40 km from Yerevan. According to biblical texts (or their interpretation), Noah's Ark landed on the site of the monastery after the end of the Flood. The monastery was founded in the 7th century on a hill where ancient city Artashat - the capital of the Armenian state under King Artashes I.

Republic Square is the main one in Yerevan, and therefore in all of Armenia. It was built under the Soviet regime according to the project of Alexander Tamanyan, until 1991 it bore the name of Lenin. The surrounding buildings are distinguished by monumental architecture, but at the same time preserving the national style. Like most buildings in Yerevan, all these buildings are made of tuff and basalt. Let's look around a bit.

This is the building of the Government of Armenia with the main clock of the country, local chimes.

National art gallery. In the same building is the History Museum of Armenia.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Energy work in this building.

Marriott Armenia Hotel.

The central post building of the Republic of Armenia.

And a couple more photos from the life of Republic Square.

In fact, it is very difficult to convey the beauty of Republic Square with photographs from the ground. The buildings, of course, are beautiful individually, but together they look even better. I'll attach a map of the area. Although she will not add a concept of beauty either, but at least it will become clear how everything is located. In proportion, by the way, it is very similar to St. Peter's Square in the Vatican.

And finally, one more photograph taken in the 1930s of the XX century. This is how the area looked before the start of large-scale construction.

10.

Entries from this journal tagged "Armenia"

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• Monastery Sevanavank

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• Geghard Monastery

  Geghard is an ancient male monastery in Armenia, founded in the 4th century. According to legend, St. Gregory the Illuminator himself was its founder. But from that...

• Vagharshapat

  The city of Vagharshapat - in every sense place of worship for Armenia, its religious center. Here is the Etchmiadzin Monastery, known since 303…

• Zvartnots

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Without exaggeration, every city on Earth has its own unspoken symbols. It just so happened that Yerevan has several of them, but, undoubtedly, one of the main ones is the Republic Square. Some of my brightest childhood memories are associated with this Square, more precisely, with festive fireworks, which at the same time delight with their colorfulness and frighten with an awesome roar.

Today, for me, the main square of Yerevan, which, by the way, has been included in the rating of the most beautiful squares in the CIS and the world more than once, is a constant delight, but from the unique architecture, which is fully revealed in the light of evening lights, with the sounds of bohemian music Singing fountains, and from the full life and plans of young people strolling here in the evenings.

Along with the Opera and the Cascade, Republic Square is one of those places where it is always crowded: rollerblading children, young people in love, families, elderly couples - all this, framed by the beautiful music of Aznavour or Babajanyan, makes you freeze and catch every moment and every emotion .

How to get to Republic Square

If, upon arriving in the capital of Armenia, you did not stop in the city center, then you can get to the Republic Square by metro or other public transport. The Republic Square metro station, which I talked about in my article, is literally a two-minute walk from, in fact, the main square of Yerevan. In addition, buses No. 1, 2, 22, 32, 33, 44, 54, 58 and many others, as well as minibuses No. 12, 26, 62 and others, reach the square from different parts of the city.

On the map you can see the location and shape of the square. Here, I circled the nearest transport stops and the metro station in red circles, the nearest cafes and restaurants in blue, and hotels in orange.

Yerevan Tamanyan

Yerevan the way we see it today is largely the merit of the outstanding Soviet architect, academician Alexander Tamanyan. It is he who is the author of the master plan of modern Yerevan, and it is thanks to him that Yerevan has turned from a small town into one of the most beautiful world capitals!

The mixture of neoclassicism, which Tamanyan was an adherent of, and the national style, which included various ornaments and decorative stone carvings, gave the city a unique and inimitable look.

In addition to the Republic Square, Alexander Tamanyan, among other things, became the author of the Opera and Ballet Building and the Government House in Yerevan, as well as a number of works in Russia, including the house of Prince Shcherbatov in Moscow and the reconstruction of the Armenian Church on Nevsky Prospekt in St. Petersburg.

Republic Square in Yerevan

The magnificent appearance of the Square, in addition to the architecture itself, is largely dictated by the use of natural tufa rock. It is tuff, especially pink, that is the main building stone in Yerevan, which gives the buildings an amazing texture and color overflows, and thanks to which Yerevan is often called the “pink city”. Plinth part buildings are built of basalt, and felsic tuff of white and pink color is used in the cladding, giving the square an elegant and recognizable look.

The complex painting and carving on the facades, arches and columns of buildings, which are made in a characteristic national style with unique ancient Armenian motifs, attract attention. I sometimes like to stop near these buildings and examine the intertwined ornaments, each time finding something new in them that I had not noticed before.

The construction of Republic Square, which in Soviet times was named after Lenin, began in 1924, and some work lasted until 1958. The monument to Lenin on the square was dismantled after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Initially, the square was supposed to be exclusively oval, however, taking into account some features of the nearby territories, it was decided to use a more complex combination of an oval and a trapezoid. In unique architectural ensemble The main square of the capital of Armenia includes five buildings. The House of Ministries and the Government House are located symmetrically on the western and eastern sides. On the front wall of the latter there is a large clock - the city chimes, an invariable meeting place for many citizens and guests of the capital.

The remaining three are occupied by the Central Building of the Armenian Post Office, the Marriott Armenia Hotel, and the centrally located building of the Museum of the History of Armenia, opposite which is another decoration of the square - the famous Singing Fountains, illuminated at night with bright light effects.

In addition, the square also has an oval platform, which is decorated with magnificent mosaic paintings. By the way, they put a Christmas tree on it.

Singing Fountains

Singing fountains are an invariable component and highlight of the Republic Square. They were completely updated in 2007, becoming even more beautiful and bright. The light show of the fountains starts at 9 pm, and in the musical program, classical, jazz, rock and pop alternate each other, to the rhythms of which water flows change the shape and height of the water jets.

As they say, you can endlessly watch how water flows. I can endlessly look at the lovely figures wriggling to the sounds of my favorite tunes.

By the way, keep in mind that the fountains do not work in winter: instead, you will see LED Christmas lights and futuristic figurines.

What is nearby

Republic Square is the heart of the capital. Naturally, the main attractions, shops, cafes and restaurants are located in the immediate vicinity of it:

• So, a small boulevard and a square adjoins the square, connecting it with the street of Italy. This boulevard is notable for the fact that here in 1968 an ensemble of 2750 small fountains was installed, which have a symbolic meaning - the age of Yerevan for that year.

• If you look opposite, from the side where the City Chimes are located, then we will see the Republic Square metro station (you can find out more about it and other stations of the Yerevan metro), just walking from which you can walk to the famous Vernissage souvenir market.
• As I have already noted, one of the main buildings on the square is the Museum of the History of Armenia, which contains almost half a million exhibits that tell about the history and cultural heritage of Armenia, from prehistoric times to the present day. The National Art Gallery of Armenia is located in the same building, where in 56 halls of Armenian, European, Russian and Oriental art you can see the works of such geniuses as Aivazovsky, Saryan, Minasyan, Repin, Chagall, Kandinsky, Rubens, Donatello and others.

• If you face the Museum building and the Singing Fountains, then on the left side you will see the famous "7 springs" with delicious drinking water, as well as Abovyan Street, which still retains the spirit of the old city. I like to stroll slowly along it, looking at the ancient buildings, each of which is a real work of art, and amazing doors - silent witnesses of centuries-old history, beckoning at least from the corner of my eye to see what is hiding behind them.

• Walking a little along Abovyan Street, on the left side you will see the completely pedestrian Northern Avenue, where fashionable boutiques and many stylish cafes are located. For me, this intersection is like a “time machine”, connecting Abovyan Street, steeped in centuries of history, with modern fashionable buildings.

In addition, in the immediate vicinity of the square there are many famous restaurants, such as Caucasian Captive, Dolmama and Salon, many souvenir shops and shops, as well as a number of hotels, including National, Paris Hotel, Hyatt Place and the Marriott mentioned above.

Archaeological excavations at Republic Square

Few people know that in 2003 the Armenian government approved the improvement of the Republic Square, which, by the will of fate, brought a number of new discoveries. So, during earthworks, builders discovered stone walls, parts of tiles made of red and black tuff, water pipes and the remains of earthenware jars. The unexpected discovery prompted the start of archaeological excavations and research, during which sections of cellars dating back to the 17th century were also discovered.

Interestingly, the studies led to the conclusion that these sites are the basements of those buildings that found a place in the panoramic drawings depicting Yerevan by French travelers Jean Chardin and Baptiste Tavernier, and indicating that Yerevan, already in the 17th century was an important trade and economic center in the region.

Unfortunately, due to the fact that the area needed to be short terms put in proper shape, the excavations were frozen, and these finds were covered with a thick layer of sand for possible subsequent work and research.

Honestly, I really hope that in the near future an opportunity will be found to resume research, I’m very interested in what other secrets and discoveries the “dungeon” found is fraught with.

Mass at the Republic Square in Yerevan

Traditionally, the main square of Yerevan was and is the largest open area for holding various events. Holiday concerts, marathons, fireworks, New Year's performances and much more are organized and arranged here.

One of the most striking events on the square was last year's concert of the world-famous rock band System of a Down under the auspices of Wake Up the Souls on the eve of April 24 - the day of mourning, considered the date of the beginning of the Armenian Genocide, which arose a century ago. The concert gathered more than 50 thousand fans who did not run away even despite the pouring rain.

However, this year Yerevan hosted an event that will become a part of history and will be remembered by residents and guests of the capital for a long time. Within the framework of the three-day visit to Armenia of the Pope under the motto “Visit to the first Christian country”, on June 25, a solemn ceremony was held at the Republic Square, where anyone could enter. As part of the ceremony, His Holiness Pope Francis and Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II offered an ecumenical prayer, which was continued by a concert by the Philharmonic Orchestra and the State Choir of Armenia.

The solemn ceremony gathered tens of thousands of believers, among whom were those who specially arrived in Armenia to see the Pope. The Mass has become the most open event During these three days, during which the Pontiff also visited the Mother See of Etchmiadzin, the Khor Virap Monastery, the city of Gyumri, where he also celebrated the Holy Mass, and visited Tsitsernakaberd - the Memorial of the Victims of the Genocide, where he laid flowers at the Eternal Flame and held a blessing ceremony.

Afterword

As you already understood, it is simply impossible to visit Yerevan and pass by its main square. And you won't have any chance to remain indifferent! I strongly recommend visiting Yerevan Square both in the daytime and in the evening: it’s like two completely different places with great friend from a friend with energy and strong emotions.

Of course, in the light of the lights, the square will certainly be more impressive and captivating, but it is during the day that you can fully enjoy the beautiful architecture and ornaments of the surrounding buildings.