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. It houses important government buildings, cultural and entertainment facilities. Due to the high capacity (up to 50 thousand people), 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Historical reference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, an older layer of the 18th-19th century bridge was discovered. The master plan of 1906 provided for the restructuring and ennobling of this territory. The project was prepared by Boris Mehraban and partially implemented in 1911.
After the inclusion of Armenia in the USSR, the Soviet government decided to rebuild the Republic Square in Yerevan. Large funds were allocated for this. The famous architect Alexander Tamanyan was engaged in the design as part of the new, more progressive master plan of the capital. According to the idea, the square should have a strict oval shape. However, during the construction process, it was necessary to take into account the features of the terrain, and part of the form was performed in the form of a trapezoid. This did not affect the solemn appearance of the heart of the city.
Construction
In 1924, the Civil War ended, but skirmishes with armed groups in the Caucasus continued on. 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 began in 1926 with the erection of the basalt foundation of the Government House. The upper part was collected from local tufa. As was customary in the USSR, the square was named after the leader of the proletariat - V.I. Lenin (Lenini Khraparak). His statue took center stage in 1940. However, by the beginning of World War II, 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 was the People’s Commissariat of Armenia. Today, the Council of Ministers is sitting here. The northwestern wing was built under the leadership of Alexander Tamanyan (1926-1929), the rest was completed by his son Gevorg. The main works were completed in 1941.
At the beginning of the 50s, work began on the construction of the Museum of the History of Armenia. The concert ensemble of Arno Babajanyan built in 1916 was included in the architectural ensemble . Eduard Sarapian and Mark Grigoryan worked on the project. In 1977, the National Gallery was added.
One of the sides of the oval of Republic Square 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.
Government House building number 2 is occupied by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The building belongs to a later historical period and incorporated the architectural trends of the 50s. Varazdat Arevshatyan, Rafael Israelyan and Samvel Safaryan were responsible for its construction.
There is also the main post office building of the Republic of Armenia on the square. Its construction began in 1933, but during the war was actually suspended. Work was completed only in 1956. The authors of the project are Eduard Sarapyan, Mark Grigoryan. Until 2016, the building was home to the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
Other attractions of Republic Square in Yerevan:
- Singing Fountains. The 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 sources" by the number of jets of water.
- Christmas tree. Set annually on New Year's Eve.
In 1991, a monument to Lenin was demolished. Until now, discussions do not cease, what to put in its place.
How to get to Republic Square in Yerevan?
The facility 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 you can use your own 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. In just 500 meters, the square will appear in all its glory. Also, streets of Sargsyan, Nalbandyan, Abovyan, Buzand, Metz and Amiryan lead to the object.
When traveling by public transport (bus, trolley or minibus), you need to get off at the station of the same name on Republic Square. The center is also accessible by metro. Although stopping points are announced in Armenian, station names are duplicated in Russian. The required station is also called Republic Square.