Yerevan Republic Square

The Republic Square of Yerevan is the heart of our ancient town, a town that is older than the city of Rome itself, the Eternal City!

It is not really pompous, yet it is not timid as well! The Republic Square was built in Soviet Era and has the marks and the air of those times. Yet, it is not a trial to show man’s domination over the nature, nor the proactive protagonist of the socialist ideology.

During the Soviet Era, in the center of the square, the statue of one of the forefathers of socialism and one of the founders of the USSR, Lenin, was standing proudly. And the name of the square itself was “Lenin Square”.

Now, there is a national-features-featuring rug instead. Near the carpet, there stand the fountains, one of the favorite attractions for many Armenians of all ages and for the hosts of the city. It is unique, because it attracts not only visually, but includes the auditory factor as well, and the synchronized music (along with the show of water dance) is very attractive, it also gives a wide range of choice; one may hear the music of Beatles, then that of Aram Khachaturian, then some soundtracks, also some Armenian pop and retro music, etc.

Here are some of the buildings the Republic Square bears on itself:

The National Art Gallery, History Museum (both in the same, the highest building next to the fountains, north), the Government House (north-east), the Central post-office of the Republic of Armenia (south-east), “Mariott Armenia” hotel (south-west), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (north-west), etc.

The Square was designed by Alexander Tamanian. Before, there stood the town market and some other buildings like the caravansary of the town. And, in fact, some were really against it noting Tamanian’s style of architecture was bourgeois, and that the new socialist Armenia did not need that wide streets and big parks, it was a waste. Although Moscow did not stop Tamanian, even after an official letter was sent by some young socialists, including some architects, many claim he would be arrested in 1937, if he would not have passed away in 1936 (and the last one was much a better “choice” than the first “opportunity”).

During the whole day, you may observe various squares in the same square: sunlight - the image is different; day full with sun – another image; a rainy and/or cloudy day – the third one; evening, the lights are lit, so is lit the square, a dissimilar apparition.

Various palettes of rose and of golden colors represent a vivid and an attractive image. And, it is interesting to experience that beautiful sense of freedom in the square: the buildings do suppress neither the man, nor the nature; moreover, the sky is supporting that sense of freedom from above, and without the trees, the place would be quite poor, and the Water, cool and calm.