Yerevan is the capital and largest city of
ArmeniaArmenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. It is situated on the
Hrazdan RiverThe Hrazdan is a major river of Armenia. It starts at the northwest extremity of Lake Sevan and flows south through the Kotayk marz and Armenia's capital, Yerevan. It then joins the Aras River along the border with Turkey. A Hydro-electric plant is located on the Hrazdan river...
, and is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country. It has been the capital of Armenia since 1918 and the twelfth in the
history of ArmeniaArmenia lies in the highlands surrounding the Biblical mountains of Ararat. The original Armenian name for the country was Hayk, later Hayastan , translated as the land of Haik, and consisting of the name Haik and the suffix '-stan' ....
.
The history of Yerevan dates back to the 8th century BC, with the founding of the fortress of
ErebuniErebuni may refer to:*Erebuni Fortress, an ancient Armenian fortress*Yerevan, capital of Armenia*Erebuni, Armenia, a district of Yerevan...
in 782 BC by king Argishti I at the western extremity of the
Ararat plainThe Ararat plain is one of the largest of the Armenian Plateau, stretches west of the Sevan basin, at the foothills of the Gegham mountains. In the north the plain borders on Mount Aragats, and in the south, on Mount Ararat...
. After
World War IWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
, Yerevan became the capital of the
Democratic Republic of ArmeniaThe Democratic Republic of Armenia was the first modern establishment of an Armenian republic. The republic was established in the former territory of Eastern Armenia in the Russian Empire following the Russian Revolution of 1917...
as thousands of
survivorsArmenian Genocide Survivors is the list of survived Armenians and where they migrated to. The total number of Armenians survived from the Armenian Genocide is 880,000. About half of them found home in the Russian Empire...
of the
Armenian GenocideThe Armenian Genocide , also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Calamity , was the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
settled in the area. The city expanded rapidly during the 20th century when Armenia became one of the
fifteen republicsThe Republics of the Soviet Union or the Union Republics of the Soviet Union were ethnically based administrative units that were subordinated directly to the Government of the Soviet Union...
in the
Soviet UnionThe Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. The name is a translation of the , tr. Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik, abbreviated СССР, SSSR. The common short name is Soviet Union, from , Sovetskiy Soyuz...
. In fifty years, Yerevan was transformed from a town of a few thousand residents during the first republic to the principal cultural, artistic and industrial center as well as becoming the seat of the political institutions of the country.
With the growth of the
economy of the countryArmenia is the second most densely populated of the former Soviet republics. It is situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, bordered on the north and east by Georgia and Azerbaijan and on the south and west by Iran and Turkey....
, Yerevan has been undergoing a major transformation as construction sites have appeared all over the city since the early 2000s. Today, the appearance of new buildings, roads, restaurants, boutiques, quarters etc. have started to erase the traces of 70 years of Soviet dominance.
In 2007, the population of Yerevan was estimated to be 1,107,800 people with the
agglomerationIn the study of human settlements, an agglomeration is an extended city or town area comprising the built-up area of a central place and any suburbs linked by continuous urban area. In France, INSEE the French Statistical Institute, translate it as "Unité urbaine" which means continuous urbanized...
around the city regrouping 1,245,700 people (official estimation), more than 33% of the population of Armenia.
Etymology and symbols
Early Christian Armenian chroniclers attributed Yerevan's origin to having been derived from an expression exclaimed by
NoahNoah was, according to the Bible, the tenth and last of the antediluvian Patriarchs; and a prophet according to the Qur'an...
, in
ArmenianThe Armenian language is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian people. It is the official language of the Republic of Armenia as well as in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The language is also widely spoken by Armenian communities in the Armenian diaspora...
, while looking in the direction of Yerevan, after the
arkNoah's Ark is the vessel, which, according to the Book of Genesis, was built by the Patriarch Noah at God's command to save himself, his family and the world's animals from a worldwide deluge...
had landed on
Mount AraratMount Ararat is a snow-capped, dormant volcanic cone in Turkey...
and the flood waters had receded: "Yerevats!" ("it appeared!"). Another theory on the origin of the name is that the city was named after the Armenian king, Yervand IV (the Last), the last leader of the
Orontid DynastyThe Orontid Dynasty was the first known Armenian dynasty. The Orontids established their supremacy over Armenia around the time of the Scythian and Median invasion in the 6th century BC....
and founder of the city of
YervandashatYervandashat is a village in the Armavir Province of Armenia...
. However, it is likely that the city's name is derived from an Urartian military fortress called
ErebuniErebuni may refer to:*Erebuni Fortress, an ancient Armenian fortress*Yerevan, capital of Armenia*Erebuni, Armenia, a district of Yerevan...
(Էրեբունի), which was founded on the territory of modern-day Yerevan in 782 B.C. by Argishti I. As elements of the Urartian language blended with that of the Armenian one, it eventually transformed into
Yerevan; scholar Margarit Israelyan notes these changes when comparing inscriptions found on two
cuneiformCuneiform can refer to:*Cuneiform script, an ancient writing system originating in Mesopotamia in the 4th millennium BC*Cuneiform , three bones in the human foot*Cuneiform Records, a music record label...
tablets at Erebuni:
The principal symbol of Yerevan is Mount Ararat of
TurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey
, is a Eurasian country that stretches across the Anatolian peninsula in Western Asia and Thrace in the Balkan region of southeastern Europe...
which is visible from any area in the capital. The
sealA seal can be a wax seal bearing an impressed figure, or an embossed figure in paper, with the purpose of authenticating a document, but the term can also mean any device for making such impressions or embossments, essentially being a mould that has the mirror image of the figure in counter-relief,...
of the city is symbolized by a crowned
lionThe Lion is one of four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
on a pedestal with the inscription "Yerevan" with the head turned back and holding a scepter with the right front leg, which is the attribute of power and royalty. The symbol of eternity is on the breast of the lion with a picture of the Ararat in its upper part. The emblem has a form of a rectangular
shieldA shield is a protective device, meant to intercept attacks, either by stopping projectiles such as arrows or by glancing a blow to the side of the shield-user. Shields vary greatly in size, ranging from large shilds that protect the user's entire body to small shields that are mostly for use in...
with the blue border line.
On 27 September 2004, Yerevan adopted a
hymnA hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word hymn derives from Greek , "a song of praise"...
, "Erebuni-Yerevan", written by
Paruyr SevakBarouyr Rafaeli Ghazaryan was an Armenian poet. He is considered one of the greatest Armenian poets of all time....
and composed by Edgar Hovhanissian. It was selected in a competition for a new hymn and flag that would best represent the city. The chosen flag has a white background with the seal in the middle surrounded by twelve small red triangles that symbolize the twelve historic capitals of Armenia. The flag shows the three colours of the
Armenian National flagThe national flag of Armenia, the Armenian Tricolour , consists of three horizontal bands of equal width, red on the top, blue in the middle, and orange on the bottom. The Armenian Supreme Soviet adopted the current flag on August 24, 1990...
on itself. The lion is on the orange background with blue edging.
Early history
The origin of the name Yerevan is unknown. The territory of Yerevan was settled in the
fourth millennium BCThe 4th millennium BC saw major changes in human culture. It marks the beginning of the Bronze Age and of writing.The city states of Sumer and the kingdom of Egypt are established and grow to prominence. Agriculture spreads widely across Eurasia...
, fortified settlements from the
Bronze AgeThe Bronze Age of a culture is the period when the most advanced metalworking in that culture utilised bronze. This could either have been based on the local smelting of copper and tin from ores, or trading for bronze from production areas elsewhere...
include
ShengavitThe Shengavit Settlement is an archaeological site in present day Yerevan, Armenia located on a hill south-east of Lake Yerevan. It has been inhabited during four distinct settlement phases since the Early Bronze Age, from the late 4th century BC to the early 2nd century BC...
,
TsitsernakaberdTsitsernakaberd is a memorial dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide; it is located on a hill overlooking Yerevan, Armenia. Every year on April 24, hundreds of thousands of Armenians gather here to remember the victims of the 1915 Armenian Genocide that took place in the Ottoman Empire...
,
TeishebainiTeishebaini was the capital of the Urartian Transcaucasian provinces. It is presently located near the modern city of Yerevan in Armenia...
,
Arin BerdErebuni Fortress is a fortification and city from the ancient kingdom of Urartu, located now in modern-day Yerevan, Armenia. It was one of several fortress built along the northern border of Urartu and was one of the most important political, economic and cultural centers of the kingdom...
,
Karmir BerdKarmir Berd is a fortified settlement from the end of the 2nd millenium BC. The site is located in Yerevan, Armenia on the right bank of the Hrazdan River, near the highway that runs from Yerevan to Yeghvard, behind the Institute of Physics building...
and Berdadzor. Archaeological evidence, such as a
cuneiformCuneiform can refer to:*Cuneiform script, an ancient writing system originating in Mesopotamia in the 4th millennium BC*Cuneiform , three bones in the human foot*Cuneiform Records, a music record label...
inscription, indicates that the
UrartianUrartu Urartu Urartu (natively ; , Assyrian: , corresponding to Ararat, or Kingdom of Van was an Iron Age kingdom centered around Lake Van in the Armenian Highland....
military fortress of
Erebuni (Էրեբունի) was founded in 782 BC by the orders of King
Argishti IArgishtis I was the sixth known king of the ancient Armenian kingdom of Urartu, reigning from 785 BC to 763 BC. He founded the citadel of Erebuni in 782 BC, which is the present capital of Armenia, Yerevan....
at the site of current-day Yerevan, to serve as a fort and citadel guarding against attacks from the north
CaucasusThe Caucasus or Caucas is a geopolitical region between at the border of Europe and Asia. It is home to the Caucasus Mountains, including Europe's highest mountain ....
. Yerevan is thus one of the most ancient cities in the world.
The cuneiform inscription found at Erebuni Fortress reads:
“By the greatness of god Khaldi, Argistis, son of Menuas, built this mighty stronghold and proclaimed it Erebuni for the glory of the country of Biainili and for holding the enemies country’s in awe, by the greatness of god Khaldi, Argistis, son of Menuas, mighty king, king of the country of Biainili, ruler of the town of TushpaTushpa was the capital of Urartu in the late 9th century BC....
”
Between the sixth and fourth centuries BC, Yerevan was one of the main centers of the Armenian
satrapSatrap was the name given to the governors of the provinces of ancient Median and Persian empires, including the Achaemenid Empire and in several of their heirs, such as the Sassanid Empire and the Hellenistic empires....
y of the
Achaemenid EmpireThe Achaemenid Empire or Persian Empire was the successor state of the Median Empire, ruling over significant portions of what would become Greater Iran. The Persian and the Median Empire taken together are also known as the Medo-Persian Empire, succeeding the Neo-Assyrian Empire...
. During the height of Urartian power,
irrigationIrrigation is an artificial application of water to the soil. It is usually used to assist in growing crops in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
canals and an artificial reservoir were built on Yerevan's territory. In 585 BC, the fortress of Teishebaini (Karmir Blur), thirty miles to the north of Yerevan, was destroyed by an alliance of
MedesThe Medes were an ancient Iranian people who lived in the northwestern portions of present-day Iran. This area is known as Media...
and the Scythians.
Due to the absence of historical data, the timespan between fourth century BC and third century AD is known as the "Yerevan Dark Ages." The first church in Yerevan, the church of
St. Peter and PaulSaint Poghos-Petros Church was a 4th-5th century Armenian church in Yerevan, Armenia, that was destroyed in the 1930s. It was located at the site of what is now cinema "Moscow" on Abovian Street in Yerevan's Kentron District....
, was built in the fifth century and was demolished in 1931 to build the Moscow Cinema.
Persian and Ottoman rule
In 658 AD, Yerevan was conquered, during the height of Arab invasions. Since then the site has been strategically important as a crossroads for the
caravanA camel train is a series of camels carrying goods or passengers in a group as part of a regular or semi-regular service between two points.-North Africa, Asia and the Middle East:...
routes passing between
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
and
IndiaIndia, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
. It has been known as "Yerevan" since at least the seventh century AD. Between the ninth and eleventh centuries, Yerevan was a secure part of the Armenian Bagratuni Kingdom, before being overrun by Seljuks. The city was seized and pillaged by Tamerlane in 1387 and subsequently became an administrative center of the
IlkhanateThe Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate or Il Khanate , was a Mongol khanate established in Persia in the 13th century, considered a part of the Mongol Empire...
. Due to its strategic significance, Yerevan was constantly fought over and passed back and forth between the dominion of Persia and the
OttomansThe Ottoman Empire or Ottoman State , also known by its contemporaries as the Turkish Empire or Turkey , was an empire that lasted from 1299 to November 1, 1922 The Ottoman Empire or Ottoman State (Ottoman Turkish: دَوْلَتِ عَلِیَّهِ عُثْمَانِیَّه Dawlet-il ʿAliyyat-il ʿOs̠māniyye, Modern Turkish:...
.
At the height of the Turkish-Persian wars, the city changed hands fourteen times between 1513 and 1737. In 1604, under the order of Shah Abbas I, tens of thousands of Armenians (including citizens of Yerevan) were deported to Persia. As a consequence, population became 80 percent Muslim (Persians, Turco, Kurds) and 20 percent Armenian. Muslims were either sedentary, semi-sedentary, or nomadic. Armenians lived in Erevan or the villages. The Armenians dominated the various professions and trade in the area and were of great economic significance to the Persian administration. The Ottomans, Safavids and Ilkhanids all maintained a
mintA mint is an industrial facility which manufactures coins for currency.The history of mints correlates closely with the history of coins. One difference is that the history of the mint is normally related in a fashion that more closely ties to the political situation of an era...
in Yerevan. During the 1670s, the
FrenchmanFrench people can refer to:* The legal residents and citizens of France, regardless of ancestry. For a legal discussion, see French nationality law.* People whose ancestors lived in France or the area that later became France....
Jean ChardinJean Chardin, born Jean-Baptiste Chardin, also known as Sir John Chardin, was a French jeweller and traveller whose ten-volume book The Travels of Sir John Chardin is regarded as one of the finest works of early Western scholarship on Persia and the Near East.-Life and work:Chardin was born in...
visited Yerevan and gave a description of the city in his
Travels of Cavalier Chardin in Transcaucasia in 1672-1673. On 7 June 1679, a devastating earthquake razed the city to the ground.
During the
Safavid DynastyThe Safavids were one of the ruling dynasties of Iran. They ruled one of the greatest Iranian empires since the Islamic conquest of Persia and established the Ithnāˤashari school of Shi'a Islam as the official religion of their empire, marking one of the most important turning points in the...
rule, Yerevan and adjacent territories were part of the Čoḵūr Saʿd administrative territory. This lasted until 1828 when the region was incorporated into Russian Empire.
Russian rule
During the
second Russian-Persian warThe Russo-Persian War of 1826-1828 was the last major military conflict between the Russian Empire and the Persian Empire.After the Treaty of Gulistan concluded the previous Russo-Persian War in 1813, peace reigned in the Caucasus for thirteen years...
, Yerevan was captured by Russian troops under general
Ivan PaskevichIvan Fyodorovich Paskevich was a Ukrainian-born military leader in the Russian service. For his victories, he was made Count of Erivan in 1828 and Namestnik of the Kingdom of Poland in 1831.-Biography:...
on 1 October 1827. It was formally ceded by the Persians in 1828, following the
Treaty of TurkmenchayThe Treaty of Turkmenchay was a treaty negotiated in Turkmenchay by which the Persian Empire, more commonly known today as Iran, recognized Russian suzerainty over the Erivan khanate, Nakhchivan khanate and the remainder of the Talysh khanate, establishing the Araks River as the common boundary...
.
Tsarist RussiaThe Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia, and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
sponsored Armenian resettlement from Persia and Turkey; by the turn of the twentieth century, Yerevan's population was over 29,000, of which 49% were
AzerbaijanisThe Azerbaijanis are an ethnic group mainly living in northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan. Commonly referred to as Azeris/Āzarīs or Azeri Turks , they also live in a wider area from the Caucasus to the Iranian plateau...
(then referred to as Azerbaijani Tatars), 48% Armenians and 2% Russians. It served as the seat of the newly-formed
Armenian OblastThe Armenian Oblast or Armenian Province ) was an oblast of the Russian Empire that existed from 1828 to 1840. It roughly corresponded to most of present-day central Armenia, the Iğdır Province of present-day Turkey, and present-day Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan exclave...
and subsequently the
Erivan GovernorateErivan Governorate ) was one of the guberniyas of the Russian Empire, with its centre in Erivan . Its area was 27,830 sq. kilometres...
.
The city began to grow economically and politically, with old buildings torn down and new buildings in European style erected in their place. In 1829, Armenian repatriates from Persia were resettled in the city and a new quarter was built. By the time of
Nicholas INicholas I , , was the Emperor of Russia from 1825 until 1855, known as one of the most reactionary of the Russian monarchs. On the eve of his death, the Russian Empire reached its historical zenith spanning over 20 million square kilometres.Nicholas I was born in Gatchina to Emperor Paul I and...
's visit in 1837, Yerevan had become a
uyezdUyezd or uezd was an administrative subdivision of Rus', Muscovy, and Russian Empire used from the 13th century, originally describing groups of several volosts formed around the most important cities...
.
The first general plan of the city was made in 1854, during which time the women's colleges of St. Hripsime and St. Gayane were opened and the English Garden built. In 1874, Zacharia Gevorkian opened Yerevan's first printing house and in 1879 the first theatre, sited near the church of St. Peter and Paul, was established. Two years into the twentieth century, a railway line linked Yerevan with Alexandropol, Tiflis and
JulfaJulfa is the administrative capital of the Julfa Rayon administrative region of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic in Azerbaijan.Julfa is separated by the Araks River from its namesake, the town of Jolfa on the...
, the same year Yerevan's first public library opened. In 1913, a telephone line with eighty subscribers became operational. The early twentieth century saw the governorship of Erivan province by Louis Joseph Jérôme Napoléon (1864-1932), grandnephew of Napoleon I.
Brief independence (1917–1920)
At the start of the 20th century, Yerevan was a small town with a population of 30,000. In 1917, the Russian Empire ended with the
October RevolutionTheOctober Revolution , also known as the Soviet Revolution or Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution. It began with an armed insurrection in Petrograd traditionally dated to 25 October 1917 Julian calendar...
. In the aftermath, Armenian, Georgian and Muslim leaders of
TranscaucasiaThe South Caucasus is a geopolitical region located on the border of Eastern Europe and Southwest Asia also referred to as Transcaucasia, or The Transcaucasus...
united to form the
Transcaucasian FederationThe Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic was a short-lived state composed of the modern-day countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia in the South Caucasus.-...
and proclaimed Transcaucasia's
secessionSecession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity.-Secession theory:...
.
The Federation, however, was short-lived and on 28 May 1918, Yerevan became the capital of the newly-independent
Democratic Republic of ArmeniaThe Democratic Republic of Armenia was the first modern establishment of an Armenian republic. The republic was established in the former territory of Eastern Armenia in the Russian Empire following the Russian Revolution of 1917...
and therefore became the center of independent Armenia. On 29 November 1920, the
BolshevikThe Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903...
11th Red Army occupied Yerevan during the
Russian Civil WarThe Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed and the Soviets under the domination of the Bolshevik party assumed power, first in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a multi-party war that...
. Although nationalist forces managed to retake the city in February 1921, the city once again fell to Soviet forces on 2 April 1921.
Soviet Yerevan
Yerevan became the capital of the newly formed
Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic, one of the fifteen republics of the
Soviet UnionThe Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. The name is a translation of the , tr. Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik, abbreviated СССР, SSSR. The common short name is Soviet Union, from , Sovetskiy Soyuz...
. The Soviet era transformed the city into a modern industrial metropolis of over a million people, developed according to the prominent Armenian architect
Alexander TamanianAlexander Tamanian was an Armenian neoclassical architect, who is remembered today for his work in the city of Yerevan....
's designs. Yerevan also became a significant scientific and cultural center.
Tamanian incorporated national traditions with contemporary urban construction. His design presented a radial-circular arrangement that overlaid the existing city. As a result, many historic buildings were demolished, including churches, mosques, the Persian fortress, baths, bazaars and
caravanseraiA caravanserai was a roadside inn where travelers could rest and recover from the day's journey...
s. Many of the surrounding districts around Yerevan were named after former Armenian communities that were decimated by the
Ottoman TurksThe Ottoman Turks were the subdivision of the Ottoman Muslim Millet that dominated the ruling class of the Ottoman Empire. Reliable information about the early history of the Ottomans is scarce. According to some sources , the leader of the Kayi tribe of the Oguz Turks, Ertugrul, left Persia in...
during the
Armenian GenocideThe Armenian Genocide , also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Calamity , was the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
. The districts of Arabkir, Malatya-Sebastia and Nork Marash, for example, were named after the towns
ArabkirArapgir is the name of a town and district of Malatya Province, Turkey. As of 2000 it had a population of 17,070 people. It is situated in the confluence of the eastern and western Euphrates river, but some miles from the right bank of the combined streams...
,
MalatyaMalatya is a city and a province in middle eastern Turkey.- Overview :In ancient times, it was also known by its older name of Melitene, that dates back to the Roman period. An even older name was Melid...
,
SebastiaSebastia can refer to:* Sebastia: Sivas, Turkey is the provincial capital of Sivas Province in Turkey. Sivas first appears in history as Seabaste...
, and
MarashKahramanmaraş is the capital city of Kahramanmaraş Province in southeastern Turkey. The city lies on a plain at the foot of the Taurus Mountains and has a population of 326,198 as of 2000...
, respectively. Following the end of the Second World War,
GermanThe German people are an ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common German culture, descent, and speaking the German language as a mother tongue. Within Germany, Germans are defined by citizenship , distinguished from people of German ancestry...
POWs were used to help in the construction of new buildings and structures, such as the Kievyan Bridge.
In 1965, during the commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, Yerevan was the center of a 24-hour mass anti-Soviet protest, the first such demonstration in the Soviet Union, to demand recognition of the Genocide by the Soviet authorities. In 1968, the city's 2,750th anniversary was commemorated.
Yerevan played a key role in the Armenian national democratic movement that emerged during the
GorbachevMikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev was the second-to-last General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, serving from 1985 until 1991, and the last head of state of the USSR, serving from 1988 until its collapse in 1991...
era of the 1980s. The reforms of
Glasnostwas the policy of maximal publicity, openness, and transparency in the activities of all government institutions in the Soviet Union, together with freedom of information, introduced by Mikhail Gorbachev in the second half of 1980s....
and
Perestroikais the Russian term for the political and economic reforms introduced in June 1987 by the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev...
opened questions on issues such as the status of
Nagorno-KarabakhNagorno-Karabakh is a landlocked region in the South Caucasus, lying between Lower Karabakh and Zangezur and covering the southeastern range of the Lesser Caucasus mountains...
, the environment,
RussificationRussification is an adoption of the Russian language or some other Russian attribute by non-Russian communities...
, corruption, democracy, and eventually independence. At the beginning of 1988, nearly one million Yerevantsis engaged in demonstrations concerning these subjects, centered on Theater Square.
Post-USSR independence
Following the downfall of the USSR or
Soviet UnionThe Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. The name is a translation of the , tr. Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik, abbreviated СССР, SSSR. The common short name is Soviet Union, from , Sovetskiy Soyuz...
, Yerevan became the capital of the
Republic of ArmeniaArmenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
on 21 September 1991. Maintaining supplies of gas and electricity proved difficult; constant electricity was not restored until 1996. Also in the last five years, central Yerevan has been transformed into a vast construction site, with cranes seemingly outnumbering trees. Officially, the scores of multi-storied buildings are part of large-scale urban planning projects. Roughly $1.8 billion was spent on such construction in 2006, according to the national statistical service. Prices for downtown apartments have increased by about ten times over the last decade, realtors say. However, some experts have voiced their opinions, and have asserted that many of the new edifices violate urban planning and earthquake safety requirements.
right
Political demonstrations still occur in Yerevan, usually as a result of disputed election results. In 2008,
unrest in the capitalThe 2008 Armenian presidential election protests were a series of mass protests held in Armenia in the wake of the Armenian presidential election of February 19, 2008...
between the authorities and opposition demonstrators led by ex-President
Levon Ter-PetrossianLevon Ter-Petrossian , sometimes transliterated Levon Ter-Petrosyan or Ter-Petrosian , was the President of Armenia from 1991 to 1998...
occurred after the
2008 Armenian presidential electionA presidential election was held in Armenia on 19 February 2008. Prime Minister of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan won the election in the first round according to official results, but this is disputed by former President Levon Ter-Petrossian, who officially placed second.The candidacy of Sargsyan was...
. The events resulted in ten deaths and a subsequent 20-day
state of emergencyA state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend certain normal functions of government, alert citizens to alter their normal behaviors, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale for suspending civil liberties...
declared by President
Robert KocharianRobert Sedraki Kocharyan was the President of Armenia from 1998 to 2008. He was previously President of Nagorno-Karabakh from 1994 to 1997 and Prime Minister of Armenia from 1997 to 1998.-Personal details:...
.
Topography and location
- Altitude: average 990 m - minimum 865 m - maximum 1,390 m.
- Location: to the edge of the Hrazdan
Hrazdan is the capital of the Kotayk province of Armenia. The name Hrazdan is derived from the Middle-Persian name Frazdan. Farzdan is connected to the Zoroastrian mythology...
river, north-east of the Ararat plainThe Ararat plain is one of the largest of the Armenian Plateau, stretches west of the Sevan basin, at the foothills of the Gegham mountains. In the north the plain borders on Mount Aragats, and in the south, on Mount Ararat...
.
Yerevan is located in
Eastern ArmeniaEastern Armenia was the portion of Ottoman Armenia and Persian Armenia that was ceded to the Russian Empire following the Russo-Turkish War, 1828-1829...
to the center-west of the country in the north-eastern extremity of the
AraratMount Ararat is a snow-capped, dormant volcanic cone in Turkey...
Valley. The upper part of the city is surrounded by mountains on three sides while to the south it descends to the banks of the river
HrazdanThe Hrazdan is a major river of Armenia. It starts at the northwest extremity of Lake Sevan and flows south through the Kotayk marz and Armenia's capital, Yerevan. It then joins the Aras River along the border with Turkey. A Hydro-electric plant is located on the Hrazdan river...
, a tributary of the river Arax. The Hrazdan divides Yerevan in two within a picturesque canyon. The city's elevation ranges between 900 to 1,300 m (3,000 to 4,300 ft) above
sea levelMean sea level is the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation.- Measurement :...
.
As the capital of Armenia, Yerevan is not part of any
marzArmenia is subdivided into eleven administrative divisions. Of these, ten are provinces, known as marzer or in the singular form marz in Armenian....
("province"). Instead, it borders the following
marzer:
KotaykKotayk or Kotaik is a province of Armenia. It is in the centre of the country. Its capital is Hrazdan. It is best known for its world-renowned beer of the same name....
(north),
AraratArarat is a province of Armenia with capital in Artashat. Named after Mount Ararat, the province borders Turkey to the west and Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic to the south...
(south),
ArmavirArmavir is a province of Armenia with the capital in Armavir. It is in the west of the country, located in the Ararat valley, between Mount Ararat and Mount Aragats, and shares a 45-mile border with Turkey to the south and west...
(southwest) and
AragatsotnAragatsotn is a province of Armenia. It is in the west of the country, and its capital is Ashtarak. The name means "a foot of Aragats" . During the Arsacid Dynasty of the Kingdom of Armenia, the region was part of the Ayrarat province...
(northwest).
Climate
The climate of Yerevan is relatively
continentalContinental is the adjective form of continent. Continental may refer to:* Continental , an album by UK band Saint Etienne* Continental , a brand of dried and pre-packaged foods used by Unilever in Australia...
, with dry, hot summers and cold and short winters. This is attributed to the fact that Yerevan is located on a plain surrounded by mountains and to its distance to the sea and its effects. The summers are usually very hot with the temperature in August reaching up to 40 °
CCelsius is a temperature scale that is named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius , who developed a similar temperature scale two years before his death...
(104 °
FFahrenheit is the temperature scale proposed in 1724 by, and named after, the physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit . Today, the scale has been replaced by the Celsius scale in most countries; it is still in use for non-scientific purposes in the United States and a few other nations, such as...
), while winters generally carry snowfall and freezing temperates with January being often as cold as -15 °C (5 °F). The amount of precipitation is small, amounting annually to about 350 mm (14
inAn inch is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including Imperial units, and United States customary units. There are 36 inches in a yard and 12 inches in a foot...
). The city has an annual period of sunshine of approximately 2,700 hours.
Capital
Yerevan has been the capital of Armenia since the independence of the First Republic in 1918. Situated in the Ararat plain, the historic lands of Armenia, it served as the best logical choice for capital of the young republic at the time.
When Armenia became a republic of the Soviet Union, Yerevan remained as capital and accommodated all the political institution of the republic. In 1991 with the independence of the Third Armenian republic, Yerevan remained the political center of the country and became the location of all the national institution: the Azgayin Zhoghov, ministries, the presidential palace, public organisms and judicial institutions.
Municipalities
The Armenian Constitution, adopted on 5 July 1995, granted Yerevan the status of a
marzMarz may refer to:people* Ron Marz, comic book author* Richard Marz, Canadian politicianother* The month of March .* First order administrative division of Armenia...
(region). Therefore, Yerevan functions similarly to the other regions of the country with a few specificities.
The administrative authority of Yerevan is thus represented by:
- the mayor, appointed by the President (who can remove him at any moment) upon the recommendation of the Prime Minister, alongside a group of four deputy mayors heading eleven ministries (of which financial, transport, urban development etc.),
- the Yerevan Council, regrouping the Chiefs of neighborhood communities under the authority of the mayor,
- twelve "neighborhood communities" (or districts), with each having its own chief and their elected councils. Yerevan has a principal city hall and twelve deputy mayors of districts.
The last modification to the Constitution on 27 November 2005 turned the city into a "community" (
hamaynk); since, the Constitution declares that this community has to be led by a mayor, elected directly or indirectly, and that the city needs to be governed by a specific law. This law is currently in preparation in the Armenian parliament that adopted its first draft in December 2007 and should do the same in the second draft in spring of 2008. The project on the law envisions an indirect election of the mayor.
Artashes GeghamyanArtashes Geghamyan is an Armenian politician.Geghamyan, born in Yerevan, finished Chekhov Secondary School in 1966 and graduated from the State Yerevan Polytechnic Institute in 1971. He joined the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1972. From 1989 to 1990 he was the Mayor of Yerevan.In 1990,...
was the last mayor of the Armenian SSR and Hambartsoum Galstyan, the first mayor of the Third Republic. Since 1991, there have been eight mayors of Yerevan. The current mayor is Gagik Beglaryan. In addition to the national police and road police, Yerevan has its own municipal police. All three bodies maintain law in the city by cooperating.
Districts
Yerevan is divided into twelve "neighborhood communities" (թաղային համայնքները), commonly translated as "districts", each with an elected community leader. Each district is divided into neighborhoods (թաղամաս). A district can have up to seven neighborhoods.
Districts and neighborhoods of Yerevan
District
(Համայնք) |
Population |
Area |
Neighborhood (Թաղամաս) |
| Ajapnyak Ajapnyak is a district of the Armenian capital Yerevan, with a population over 100,000. It is situated northwest of the city centre.Its name, literally "right bank", refers to its location on the right bank of Hrazdan river....
Աջափնյակ |
125 800 |
25 km² |
Ajapnyak Ajapnyak is a district of the Armenian capital Yerevan, with a population over 100,000. It is situated northwest of the city centre.Its name, literally "right bank", refers to its location on the right bank of Hrazdan river....
, Norashen (16 taxamas), Nazarbekian (17 taxamas), Silikian (2-rd gyux), LukashinLukashin is a town in the Yerevan region of Armenia. The town was named for Sargis Lukashin , President of the Armenian Council of People's Commissars....
, Vahakni, AnastasavanAnastasavan is a town in the Yerevan Province of Armenia....
, Cheryomushki |
ArabkirArabkir District is a neighborhood that used to be a separate village in Yerevan, Armenia. At the census in 2001, it had a population of over 132,000. It is bordered by the Hrazdan River to the north and west, the Kentron to the south, and Kanaker-Zeytun to the east...
Արաբկիր |
150 200 |
12,35 km² |
Nor Arabkir Nor Arabkir is a town in the Yerevan Province of Armenia....
(Komitas), Aygedzor, Mergelyan, Raykom, Kanaker-GESThe Kanaker Hydro Power Plant is a hydroelectric power plant adjacent to the Hrazdan River near Armenia's capital city of Yerevan. It is next to the RUSAL ARMENAL aluminum smelter in Kanaker and has an installed electric capacity of 102 MW....
|
| Avan Avan is a suburban district of Yerevan, Armenia, located in the hills to the north of the Nor Nork district and east of Kanaker-Zeytun district....
Ավան |
50 400 |
8,37 km² |
Avan (Varujan, Duryan, Charenc, Isahakyan, Hovhannisyan, Sayat-Nova, Bryusov, Tumanyan), Avan-Arinj Arinj is a town in the Kotayk Province of Armenia.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com...
, Aghi Hanq |
DavtashenDavtashen is a district of Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. It is located northwest of Yerevan's Arabkir district, on the other side of the Hrazdan River....
Դավթաշեն |
50 500 |
6,71 km² |
DavtashenDavtashen is a district of Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. It is located northwest of Yerevan's Arabkir district, on the other side of the Hrazdan River....
(gyux, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th block), Huysi Avan |
| Erebuni Erebuni is a district of Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. It is situated southeast of the city centre. The Erebuni Fortress is located in the district. The name of Yerevan itself is derived from Erebuni....
Էրեբունի |
126 200 |
48,41 km² |
Erebuni Erebuni is a district of Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. It is situated southeast of the city centre. The Erebuni Fortress is located in the district. The name of Yerevan itself is derived from Erebuni....
(massiv), Nor AreshNor Aresh is a town in the Yerevan Province of Armenia....
, SaritaghSaritagh is a town in the Yerevan Province of Armenia....
, VardashenVardashen is a town in the Yerevan Province of Armenia....
, MushavanMushavan is a town in the Yerevan region of Armenia....
, Verin JrashenVerin Jrashen is a town in the Kotayk Province of Armenia....
, Kayaran (Vstrech), Butania |
Kanaker-Zeytun
Քանաքեր-Զեյթուն |
102 700 |
8,10 km² |
Kanaker, Nor Zeytun Nor Zeytun is a town in the Yerevan Province of Armenia....
, Mounument |
KentronKentron is a district of Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. It comprises the city center.-Gallery:...
Կենտրոն |
179 100 |
14,20 km² |
Pokr Kentron, Noragyugh Noragyugh is a town in the Yerevan Province of Armenia....
, Nor Kilikia, AygestanAygestan is a town in the Ararat Province of Armenia.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com*...
, KondThis is about the city in Armenia. For the ethnic group, see Gondi people.Kond is one of the oldest neighborhoods of Yerevan. It is situated within the boundaries of modern Kentron District of the capital of Armenia.- External links :***...
|
Malatia-Sebastia
Մալաթիա-Սեբաստիա |
158 700 |
25,80 km² |
Nor Malatia Nor Malatia is a town in the Yerevan Province of Armenia....
, Bangladesh (HAT B-1, B-2, B-3, B-4, A-1, A-2, A-3 block), Shahumian, Araratian, Haghtanak |
Nork-Marash
Նորք-Մարաշ |
14 600 |
4,60 km² |
Nork Nork is a town in the Yerevan Province of Armenia....
, Nor Marash |
| Nor Nork Nor Nork is a district of Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. It is situated east of the city centre....
Նոր Նորք |
132 100 |
14,47 km² |
Nor Nork Nor Nork is a district of Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. It is situated east of the city centre....
(1-9th block), JrvezhJrvezh is a town in the Kotayk Province of Armenia.- References :* – World-Gazetteer.com...
, Bagrevand |
| Nubarashen Nubarashen is a district of Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. It is situated southeast of the city centre....
Նուբարաշեն |
9 300 |
18,11 km² |
Nubarashen Nubarashen is a district of Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. It is situated southeast of the city centre....
|
| Shengavit Shengavit is a district of Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. It is situated southwest of the city centre....
Շենգավիթ |
146 100 |
4,05 km² |
Nerkin Shengavit Nerkin Shengavit is a town in the Yerevan region of Armenia....
, Verin ShengavitVerin Shengavit is a town in the Yerevan Province of Armenia....
, Nerkin CharbakhNerkin Charbakh is a town in the Yerevan region of Armenia....
, Verin CharbakhVerin Charbakh is a town in Yerevan, Armenia....
, NoragavitNoragavit or Noragavit’ is a town in the Yerevan Province of Armenia....
, Aeracia, 1st block, 3rd block (Hayrenik, Cereteli, Yonjlakh, Khrer) |
Demographics
Originally a small town, Yerevan became the capital of Armenia and a large city with over one million inhabitants.
Until the fall of the Soviet Union, the majority of the population of Yerevan were Armenians with minorities of
RussiansThe Russian people are an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
, Kurds, Azeris and
IraniansIranians may refer to:*the inhabitants and/or citizens of the country of Iran, see Demographics of Iran*speakers of Iranian languages, see Iranian peoples...
present as well. However with the breakout of the
Nagorno-Karabakh WarThe Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in the small enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in southwestern Azerbaijan, between the majority ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh backed by the Republic of Armenia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan...
from 1988 to 1994, the Azeri minority diminished in the country in what was part of population exchanges between Armenia and Azerbaijan. A big part of the Russian minority also fled the country during the 1990s economic crisis in the country. Today, the population of Yerevan is mainly Armenian.
Like the rest of the country and all other ex-Soviet republics, a lot of people fled their countries (mostly to
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
and
North AmericaNorth America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and in the western hemisphere. It is bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southeast by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the North Pacific...
) due to economic crises. The population of Yerevan fell from 1,250,000 in 1989 to 1,103,488 in 2001 and to 1,091,235 in 2003. However, the population of Yerevan has been increasing since. In 2007, the capital had 1,107,800 inhabitants.
Sources : Municipality of Yerevan, ArmStat
- Growth rate of the population : 0,29 % (in 2006).
- Birth rate : 1,12 % (en 2006).
- Death rate : 0,83 % (en 2006).
- Rate of infantile mortality : 1,05 % (en 2006).
Museums and Libraries
Yerevan is home to dozens of museums, art galleries, and libraries. The most prominent of these are the
National Gallery of ArmeniaThe National Gallery of Armenia is the national gallery of Armenia founded in 1921 as the artistic section of the State Museum. It is located on the Republic Square in Yerevan....
, the Cafesjian Museum of Art, the
MatenadaranThe Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts , commonly referred to as the Matenadaran , is an ancient manuscript repository located in Yerevan, Armenia...
library of ancient manuscripts, and the Armenian Genocide museum. Others include the Modern Art Museum, the Children’s Picture Gallery, and the Martiros Saryan Museum. Moreover, many private galleries are in operation, with many more opening every year, featuring rotating exhibitions and sales.
Constructed in 1921, the National Gallery of Armenia is Yerevan principal museum. It is integrated with the Armenia's
History Museum of ArmeniaThe History Museum of Armenia is the national museum of Armenia founded in 1919 as Ethnographic-Anthropological Museum-Library. It is located on the Republic Square in Yerevan.- History :...
. In addition to having a permanent exposition of works of painters such as
AivazovskyIvan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky was a Russian painter of Armenian descent, most famous for his seascapes, which constitute more than half of his paintings.- Life :...
, Kandinsky, Chagall,
Theodore RousseauPierre Étienne Théodore Rousseau , French painter of the Barbizon school, was born in Paris, of a bourgeois family which included one or two artists.-Youth:...
, Monticelli or
Eugene BoudinEugène Boudin was one of the first French landscape painters to paint outdoors.Boudin was a marine painter, and expert in the rendering of all that goes upon the sea and along its shores...
, it usually hosts temporary expositions such as
Yann Arthus-BertrandYann Arthus-Bertrand is a French photographer, journalist, reporter and environmentalist.- Early life :Yann Arthus-Bertrand was born in Paris on March 13, 1946 in a renowned jewellers' family founded by Claude Arthus-Bertrand and Michel-Ange Marion. His sister Catherine is one of his closest...
in 2005 or the one organized on the occasion of the Year of Armenia in France in October 2006.
The Armenian Genocide museum is found at the foot of
TsitsernakaberdTsitsernakaberd is a memorial dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide; it is located on a hill overlooking Yerevan, Armenia. Every year on April 24, hundreds of thousands of Armenians gather here to remember the victims of the 1915 Armenian Genocide that took place in the Ottoman Empire...
memorial and features numerous eyewitness accounts, texts and photographs from the time. It comprises a Memorial stone made of three parts, the latter of which is dedicated to the intellectual and political figures who, as the museum's site says, "raised their protest against the Genocide committed against the Armenians by the Turks. Among them there are
Armin T. WegnerArmin Theophil Wegner was a German soldier in World War I, a prolific author and a seminal figure in German Expressionism, a human rights activist, and a victim of Nazi persecution...
, Hedvig Bull,
Henry MorgenthauHenry Morgenthau may refer to:* Henry Morgenthau, Sr. , a United States diplomat* Henry Morgenthau, Jr. , a United States Secretary of the Treasury* Henry Morgenthau, III, an author and television producer...
,
Franz WerfelFranz Werfel was an Austrian-Bohemian novelist, playwright, and poet.- Biography :Born in Prague , Werfel was the first of three children of a wealthy manufacturer of gloves and leather goods. His mother, Albine Kussi, was the daughter of a mill owner...
,
Johannes LepsiusJohannes Lepsius was a German Protestant missionary, Orientalist, and humanist with a special interest in trying to prevent the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire. He initially studied mathematics and philosophy in Munich and a PhD in 1180 with an already award-winning work...
,
James BryceJames Bryce can refer to:*James Bryce, 1st Viscount Bryce , British jurist, historian and politician*James W. Bryce , American inventor and pioneer in magnetic data recording...
,
Anatole FranceAnatole France , born François-Anatole Thibault, was a French poet, journalist, and novelist. He was born in Paris, and died in Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire. He was a successful novelist, with several best-sellers. Ironic and skeptical, he was considered in his day the ideal French man of letters...
,
Giacomo GorriniGiacomo Gorrini was an Italian diplomat.During World War I he openly denounced the Armenian genocide through press articles and interviews and he didn't hesitate to describe the horror the Turkish rulers perpetrated against the Armenians...
, Benedict XV, Fritjof Nansen, Fayez el Husseini". This place of remembrance was created by Laurenti Barseghian, the Museum's director, and
Pietro Kuciukian- Biography:Pietro Kuciukian, the son of a survivor of the Armenian Genocide, studied in Venice where he learnt Armenian and lives and works in Milan....
, the founder of the "Memory is the Future" Committee for the Righteous for the Armenians. This Memorial hosts the ashes or fistfuls of earth from the tombs of the Righteous and of those non-Armenians who witnessed the genocide and tried to help the Armenians. Here, people also celebrates living characters who stand out for their pro-memory engagement.
The
MatenadaranThe Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts , commonly referred to as the Matenadaran , is an ancient manuscript repository located in Yerevan, Armenia...
is a library-museum regrouping 17,000 ancient manuscripts and several bibles from the Middle Ages. Its archives hold a rich collection of valuable ancient Armenian,
GreekAncient Greece is the civilisation belonging to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca. 1100 BC and the Dorian invasion, to 146 BC and the Roman conquest of Greece after the Battle of Corinth. It is generally considered to be the seminal culture which provided the...
, Assyrian,
HebrewHebrews are an ancient people defined as descendants of the prophet Eber, son of Shelah.In the Bible, the patriarch Abraham is referred to a single time as the ivri, which is the singular form of the...
,
RomanAncient Rome was a civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea, it became one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
and Persian manuscripts. It is located in the center of the city on Mesrop Mashdots avenue.
Next to the Hrazdan river, the
Sergey Parajanov MuseumThe Sergei Parajanov Museum is a tribute to Soviet Armenian director and artist Sergei Parajanov and is one of the most popular museums in Yerevan. It represents Parajanov's diverse artistic and literary heritage.-History:...
that was completely renovated in 2002, has 250 works, documents and photos of the Armenian filmmaker and painter. Yerevan has several other museums like the museum of the Middle-East and the Museum of Yerevan.
Here is a list of Yerevan's most important museums:
Erebuni FortressErebuni Fortress is a fortification and city from the ancient kingdom of Urartu, located now in modern-day Yerevan, Armenia. It was one of several fortress built along the northern border of Urartu and was one of the most important political, economic and cultural centers of the kingdom...
and Museum |
The museum was founded in 1968 nearby the Erebuni fortress which is commonly known as Arin Bert. |
| History Museum of Armenia The History Museum of Armenia is the national museum of Armenia founded in 1919 as Ethnographic-Anthropological Museum-Library. It is located on the Republic Square in Yerevan.- History :...
|
Opened in 1921, contains more than 400,000 items and pieces of Armenian heritage. |
National Gallery of ArmeniaThe National Gallery of Armenia is the national gallery of Armenia founded in 1921 as the artistic section of the State Museum. It is located on the Republic Square in Yerevan....
|
Exhibits more than 25,000 painting samples of Armenian, Russian and European artists. |
MatenadaranThe Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts , commonly referred to as the Matenadaran , is an ancient manuscript repository located in Yerevan, Armenia...
|
Library, Museum and Institute of ancinet manuscripts named after Mesrop Mashtots. |
| Gerard L. Cafesjian Museum of Art [The Gerard L. Cafesjian Museum of Art is an upcoming museum of art in Yerevan, Armenia. The arts compleze will be in central Yerevan in the area in and around the Cascade...
|
Museum of modern arts, is still under construction, located on the top of the cascade. |
| Museum of Folk Art of Armenia |
Founded in 1978 and located on teh Abovyan street. |
| Armenian Genocide Museum |
Part of Tsitsernakaberd Tsitsernakaberd is a memorial dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide; it is located on a hill overlooking Yerevan, Armenia. Every year on April 24, hundreds of thousands of Armenians gather here to remember the victims of the 1915 Armenian Genocide that took place in the Ottoman Empire...
memorial complex. |
| House-Museum of Andranik Ozanian Andranik Toros Ozanian / Antranig Toros Ozanian, Zoravar Andranik / Zoravar Antranig, was an Armenian general, political and public activist and freedom fighter, greatly admired as a national hero.-Early Age:Andranik Ozanian was born in the church quarter of Şebinkarahisar, Ottoman Armenia...
|
Opened in 1995 near Komitas Pantheon. Renovated and reopened in 2006 on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of independent. |
House-Museum of Hovhannes TumanyanHovhannes Tumanyan , is considered to be one of the greatest Armenian poets and writers. His work was mostly written in tragic form, often centering on the harsh lives of villagers in the Lori region....
|
Opened in 1953. Contains a large number of objects belonged to poet Hovhannes TumanyanHovhannes Tumanyan , is considered to be one of the greatest Armenian poets and writers. His work was mostly written in tragic form, often centering on the harsh lives of villagers in the Lori region....
along with his personal library. |
| House-Museum of Yeghishe Charents Yeghishe Charents was an Armenian poet and public activist. Charents was one of the most outstanding poets of the twentieth century, touching upon a multitude of topics that ranged from his experiences in the First World War, socialism, and, more prominently, on Armenia and Armenians.An early...
|
Opened in 1964 and located on the Mashtots Avnue. |
| House-Museum of Avetik Isahakyan Avetik Isahakian , Ghazarapat, near Aleksandropol, current Gyumri, Russian Empire – October 17 1957, Yerevan) was a prominent Armenian lyric poet, writer, academian and public activist.-Biography:...
|
Opened in 1963 and located on Baghramyan street. |
| House-Museum of Alexander Spendiaryan Alexander Spendiaryan was an Armenian music composer, conductor, founder of Armenian national symphonic music and one of the patriarchs of Armenian classical music. His compositions include the opera Almast and the Yerevan Etudes among others...
|
Opened in 1967 and located on Nalbandian street. |
| House-Museum of Aram Khachaturian The Aram Khachaturian House-Museum opened in Yerevan, Armenia in 1982 and is devoted to the exhibition of the Armenian composer’s personal artifacts, as well as to the research and study of his creative output....
|
Opened in 1984 and contains more than 18,000 valuable items. |
| House-Museum of Yervant Kochar |
Opened in 1984 and dedicated to the famous Armenian artist Yervant Kochar. |
| House-Museum of Martiros Saryan Martiros Saryan was a Russian-born Armenian painter.He was born into an Armenian family in Nor Nakhijevan . In 1895, aged 15, he completed the Nakhichevan school and from 1897 to 1904 studied at the Moscow School of Arts, including in the workshops of Valentin Serov and Konstantin Korovin...
|
Contains the works of the famous painter Martiros Saryan Martiros Saryan was a Russian-born Armenian painter.He was born into an Armenian family in Nor Nakhijevan . In 1895, aged 15, he completed the Nakhichevan school and from 1897 to 1904 studied at the Moscow School of Arts, including in the workshops of Valentin Serov and Konstantin Korovin...
. |
House-Museum of Khachatur AbovianKhachatur Abovian was an Armenian writer and national public figure of the early 19th century who mysteriously vanished in 1848 and was presumed dead. He was an educator, poet and an advocate of modernization...
|
The home of writer Khachatur AbovianKhachatur Abovian was an Armenian writer and national public figure of the early 19th century who mysteriously vanished in 1848 and was presumed dead. He was an educator, poet and an advocate of modernization...
in Kanaker was turned into museum in 1939. |
| House-Museum of Painter Minas Avetisyan |
Located on Nalbandian street. |
| House-Museum of Writer Derenik Demerchyan |
Located on Abovian street. |
| Sergei Parajanov Museum |
Opened in 1991 and exhibits the works of Sergei ParajanovSergei Parajanov was a Soviet Armenian film director and artist, widely regarded as one of the 20th century's greatest masters of cinema.He invented his own unparalleled cinematic style...
and other film directors. |
| State Museum of Nature of Armenia |
Contains samples of animal and botanic life in Armenia. |
| The War Museum "Mayr Hayastan" |
Located in the Victory Park and dedicated to the World war IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and Karabakh Libaration war. |
| Museum of Russian Art |
Founded in 1984 and located on Isahakyan street. It contains a number of paintings of Russian artists. |
| Museum of Children's creative work |
Gallery located on Abovyan street and exhibits some talents of Armenian children. |
| Geological Museum of Armenia |
Located on Abovian street. |
| Museum-Institute of Zoology |
Institute and research centre located on Sevak street. |
| Charents Museum of Literature and Arts Charents Museum of Literature and Arts of Armenia is the largest repository of Armenian manuscripts and books encompassing the last three hundred years...
|
Located on Arami street. |
| ARF History Museum The Armenian Revolutionary Federation History Museum is a museum in Yerevan, Armenia, that displays the history of the ARF and of its notable members....
|
Displays the history of the Armenian Revolutionary FederationThe Armenian Revolutionary Federation is an Armenian political party founded in Tiflis in 1890 by Christapor Mikaelian, Stepan Zorian, and Simon Zavarian...
and of its notable members. |
Museum of Middle EastThe Middle East is a region that spans southwestern Asia, southeastern Europe, and northeastern Africa. It has no clear boundaries, often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East...
|
Dedicated to the Middle Eastern civilisations and cultures. Located on Arami street. |
| Museum of Sculptor Ara Sargsian and Painter Hakop Kodjoian |
Located on Mashtots street. |
| Museum of History of Yerevan |
Founded in 1931. In 2005 the museum settled in the newly built building of the City Hall of Yerevan. |
| Museum of Wood Craft |
Opened in 1977 and located on Paronyan street. |
| National Museum of Architecture named after Alexander Tamanyan |
Contains a research centre and samples of Tamanyan's works. Located on Hanrapetutyan street. |
Cinemas, Theatres, Opera and Concert Halls
The city of Yerevan possesses a number of operating cinema halls; among them the famous
Moskva cinema. Most of the world's hit movies are available to watch at the same time of their release elsewhere. Most of the movies that are shown in the cinemas are
RussianThe cinema of Russia began in the Russian Empire, widely developed under the Soviet and in the years following the fall of the Soviet system, the Russian film industry would remain internationally recognized...
.
Since 2004,
Moskva hosts each year the Golden Apricot international film festival. The last edition of the festival presided by
Atom EgoyanAtom Egoyan, OC is a critically acclaimed Canadian film maker of Armenian descent, known as one of the most remarkable figures of contemporary independent filmmaking. His work often explores themes of alienation and isolation, featuring characters whose interactions are mediated through...
was held from 9 July to 14 July 2007 with the Golden Apricot going to the film
Import/Export from Austrian filmmaker
Ulrich SeidlUlrich Seidl is an Austrian film director, writer and producer.-Selected filmography:* 1990 Good News* 1992 Loss Is to Be Expected * 1995 Animal Love ...
.
The
Opera Theatre of YerevanThe Armenian National Academic Opera & Ballet Theatre in Yerevan was founded in 1932 and was opened on January 20, 1933. The theatre building was constructed in 1940 by the architect Alexander Tamanian...
hosts the Aram Khatchaturian concert hall, the national theatre of opera and the Alexander Spendiarian ballet. The numerous theatres have permitted attendance to a multitude of various pieces and the some spectacle rooms, of which the big one
Karen Demirchyan HamalirOfficially Karen Demirchyan Sports and Concerts Complex , also known as Demirchyan Arena, Sports & Music Complex, or simply Hamalir , is a huge sports and concert complex located on the Tsitsernakaberd hill in Yerevan city...
, sometimes offer some concerts even if the temperate Armenian summers allow the organization of the bulk of the concerts to be held outside.
Amusement Parks and Zoo
The Yerevan Zoo was founded in 1940. After a period of difficulty during the 1990s, the zoo is in better economic shape today. The zoo hosts elephants,
eaglesEagles is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California during the early 1970s. The group chose the name Eagles as a nod to The Byrds...
, bears, camels and 260 other animal species.
Waterworld is a water park in Yerevan. It has several pools, toboggans, bars and restaurants. The park used to close from October to May but construction of an indoors section called
Aquatek has permitted the water park to be open all year. The indoors section has jacuzzis, pools, hammams, fitness rooms, restaurants and a hotel.
On the road to
Lake SevanLake Sevan is the largest lake in Armenia and one of the largest high-altitude lakes in the world.Historical names of the lake include Gegharkunik , Sea of Gegham , Lychnitis and Gokcha . The name Sevan literally means "Black Van" referring to Lake Van in modern Turkey...
, there is an amusement park called
Play City that has a bowling arena, a cinema, paint-ball, karting and video-game rooms.
Tourism
Tourism in ArmeniaTourism in Armenia is a branch of Armenian Economy cause to the interest of tourists to the history, cultural monuments of Armenia, its nature.- UNESCO World Heritage Site objects :...
has been developing every year and the capital city of Yerevan is one of the major tourist destinations. The city has the majority of hotels, restaurants, bars and nightclubs in the country. Zvartnots airport has also conducted renovation projects with the growing number of tourists visiting the country. Two major tourist attractions are the Opera House, the ruins of an
UrartuUrartu Urartu Urartu (natively ; , Assyrian: , corresponding to Ararat, or Kingdom of Van was an Iron Age kingdom centered around Lake Van in the Armenian Highland....
fortress and a
RomanAncient Rome was a civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea, it became one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
fortress. The Armenia
MarriottMarriott International, Inc. is a worldwide operator and franchisor of a broad portfolio of hotels and related lodging facilities. Founded by J. Willard Marriott, the company is now led by son J.W. Marriott, Jr...
Hotel is situated in the heart of the city at Republic Square (also known as Hraparak).
Air
Yerevan is served by the
Zvartnots International AirportZvartnots International Airport is located near Zvartnots, west of Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia. The airport was built in 1961. The draftsmen of the airport included architects M. Khachikyan, A. Tarkhanyan, J. Sheqhlyan, L. Cherkezyan and designers H. Tigranyan, A. Meschyan, and...
, located 12 km west of the city center. It is the primary airport of the country and the hub of
ArmaviaArmavia is an airline based in Yerevan, Armenia. It operates international passenger services from Yerevan to destinations in Europe and the Middle East. Its main base is Zvartnots International Airport, Yerevan.-History:...
. Inaugurated in 1961 during the Soviet era, Zvartnots airport was renovated for the first time in 1985 and a second time in 2002 in order to adapt to international norms. It went through a facelift starting in 2004 with the construction of a new terminal. The first phase of the construction ended in September 2006 with the opening of the arrivals zone. A second section designated for departures was inaugurated in May 2007. The entire project cost more than $100 million USD.
The airport has flights to dozens of countries which include
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
,
RussiaRussia , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia . It is a semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
(most regions),
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
,
GreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , is a country in southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula....
,
United Arab EmiratesThe United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman and Saudi Arabia. The UAE consists of seven states, termed emirates, which are Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain, Ras...
,
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
,
AustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.3 million people in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west...
,
NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a country in Northwestern Europe, constituting the major portion of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east...
,
Czech RepublicThe Czech Republic is a country in Central Europe that is sometimes considered to be Eastern European. The country borders Poland to the northeast, Germany to the west and northwest, Austria to the south and Slovakia to the east. The capital and largest city is Prague...
,
UkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east; Belarus to the north; Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west; Romania and Moldova to the southwest; and the Black Sea and Sea of Azov to the south. The city of Kiev is both the capital and the largest city of...
, Belaruss,
LatviaLatvia , officially the Republic of Latvia is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , and to the southeast by Belarus . Across the Baltic Sea to the west lies Sweden...
,
IranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran is a country in Western Asia. The name Iran has been in use natively since the Sassanid period and came into international use from 1935, before which the country was known internationally as Persia...
,
ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
,
LebanonLebanon , officially the Republic of Lebanon
[Republic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies...]
,
SyriaSyria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south and Israel to the southwest....
,
TurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey
, is a Eurasian country that stretches across the Anatolian peninsula in Western Asia and Thrace in the Balkan region of southeastern Europe...
,
SwitzerlandSwitzerland , officially the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 states named cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities...
, Georgia etc.
A second airport,
Erebuni AirportErebuni Airport is a joint civil and military airport serving Yerevan and the country of Armenia. It is located 7.3 kilometers south of the center of Yerevan...
, is located just south of the city. Since independence of the country in 1991, the airport is mainly used by the military or for private flights. The
Armenian Air ForceThe Armenian Air Force is a small air arm formed by independent Armenia in 1992 in the wake of the dissolution of the Soviet Union. It is organized and equipped principally to provide Armenian ground forces with tactical air support in the form of ground attack and airlift in mountainous terrain...
has equally installed its base there and there are several MiG-29s stationed on Erebuni's tarmac.
Bus and Tramway
Yerevan has 46 bus lines and 24
trolleybusA trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles...
lines. The trolleybuses have been operating in the streets of Yerevan since 1949. Old Soviet-era buses are slowly being replaced by new buses. Outside the bus lines that cover the city, some buses at the start of the central road train station located in the Nor Kilikia neighborhood serve practically all the cities of Armenia as well as of others abroad, notably
TbilisiTbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form Tp'ilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
in
GeorgiaGeorgia Georgia Georgia is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Situated at the juncture of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the south by Turkey and Armenia, and to the east by Azerbaijan...
or
TabrizTabriz is the fourth largest city of Iran and the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. Situated at an altitude of 1,350 meters at the junction of the Quri River and Aji River, it was the second largest city in Iran until the late 1960s, one of its former capitals and residence of the crown prince...
in
IranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran is a country in Western Asia. The name Iran has been in use natively since the Sassanid period and came into international use from 1935, before which the country was known internationally as Persia...
.
The tramway network that operated in Yerevan since 1906 was decommissioned in January 2004. Its use had a cost 2.4 times higher than the generated profits which pushed the municipality to shutdown the network, despite a last ditch effort to save it towards the end of 2003. Since the closure, the rails have been dismantled and sold.
Metro
The
Yerevan MetroThe Yerevan Metro is a rapid transit system that serves the capital of Armenia, Yerevan. The system was launched in 1981 and like most former Soviet Metros, its stations are very deep and intricately decorated with national motifs...
(Երեւանի մետրոպոլիտեն) is a
rapid transitA rapid transit, metro, subway, underground, or elevated railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with high capacity and frequency, and which is grade separated from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically either in underground tunnels or elevated above street level...
system that serves the capital city. It has one 13.4 km (8.37 miles) line and currently services 10 active stations. Its interior resembles that of western former Soviet nations with
chandelierA chandelier is a branched decorative ceiling-mounted light fixture with two or more arms bearing lights. Chandeliers are often ornate, containing dozens of lamps and complex arrays of glass or crystal prisms to illuminate a room with refracted light....
s hanging from the corridors. The metro stations had most of their names changed after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Independence of the Republic of Armenia.
A northeastern extension of the line with two new stations is currently being planned. The construction of the first station (
Ajapnyak) and of the one kilometer tunnel linking it to the rest of the network will cost 18 million USD. The time of the end of the project has not yet been defined. Another long term project is the construction of two new lines but these have been suspended due to a deficit in the budget balance.
Train
Yerevan has a single central train station (several train stations of suburbs have not been used since 1990) that is connected to the metro via the
Sasuntsi Davit station. The train station is made in Soviet-style architecture with its long point on the building roof, representing the symbols of communism:
red starThe five-pointed red star, a pentagram without the inner pentagon, is a symbol of communism as well as broader socialism in general. It is sometimes understood to represent the five fingers of the worker's hand, as well as the five continents...
,
hammer and sickleThe hammer and sickle is a part of communist symbolism and its usage indicates an association with Communism, a Communist party, or a Communist state. It features a hammer and a sickle overlapping each other. The two tools are symbols of the industrial proletariat and the peasantry; placing them...
. Due to the Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades of Armenia, there is only one international train that passes by once every two days, with neighboring Georgia being its destination. For example, for a sum of 9 000 to 18 000
dramDram or DRAM may refer to:As a unit of measure:* Dram , an imperial unit of mass and volume* Armenian dram, a monetary unit* Dirham, a unit of currency in several Arab nationsOther uses:* Dynamic random access memory...
, it is possible to take the night train to the Georgian capital, Tbilisi. This train then continues to its destination of
BatumiBatumi is a seaside city on the Black Sea coast and capital of Adjara, an autonomous republic in southwest Georgia. It has a population of 121,806 ....
, on the shores of the
Black seaur a loser!The Black Sea is an inland sea bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas and various straits. The Bosporus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects it to...
.
The only railway that goes to
IranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran is a country in Western Asia. The name Iran has been in use natively since the Sassanid period and came into international use from 1935, before which the country was known internationally as Persia...
to the south passes by the closed border of
NakhichevanThe Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is a landlocked exclave of Azerbaijan. The region covers 5,363 km² and borders Armenia to the east and north, Iran to the south and west, and Turkey to the northwest...
. For this reason, there are no trains that go south from Yerevan. A construction project on a new railway line connecting Armenia and Iran directly is currently being studied.
Industry
In 2001, Yerevan's share of national industrial production was approximately 50%.. Yerevan's manufactures include chemicals, primary metals, machinery,
rubberNatural rubber is an elastomer that was originally derived from a milky colloidal suspension, or latex, found in the sap of some plants. The purified form of natural rubber is the chemical polyisoprene, which can also be produced synthetically...
products, plastics, textiles, and processed food. Even though the economic crisis of the 90s ravaged the industry of the country, several factories remain always in service, notably in the petrochemical and the aluminium sectors. Not only is Yerevan the headquarters of major Armenian companies, but of international ones as well, as it's seen as an attractive outsourcing location for Western European, Russian and
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
multinationals. Yerevan is also the country's financial hub, home to the Armenian National Bank, the Armenian Stock Exchange, as well as some of the country's largest commercial banks.
Yerevan's location on the shores of Hrazdan river has enabled the production of hydroelectricity. Two plants are established on the territory of the municipality. There is also a thermal central station, situated to the city's south, that furnishes equally a little electricity.
Construction
The construction sector has experienced strong growth since 2000. Recently, Yerevan has been undergoing an extensive and controversial redevelopment process in which Czarist and Soviet-period buildings have been demolished and replaced with new buildings. This urban renewal plan has been met with opposition and criticism from some residents. Coupled with the construction sector's growth has been the increase in real estate prices. Downtown houses deemed too small are more and more demolished and replaced by high-rise buildings.
Jermaine JacksonJermaine La Jaune Jackson is an American singer, bassist, composer, former member of The Jackson 5 and older brother of American pop stars Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson.-Early life:...
has planned to build an entertainment complex in a new 5-star hotel which is being built in the
cityA city is a relatively large and permanent settlement, particularly a large urban settlement. Although there is no agreement on technical definitions distinguishing a city from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status...
.
Monuments, movie theaters and other buildings
| The Cascade |
Massive white steps that ascend from downtown Yerevan, through Tamanyan street, towards Haghtanak Park (Victory Park). |
Erebuni FortressErebuni Fortress is a fortification and city from the ancient kingdom of Urartu, located now in modern-day Yerevan, Armenia. It was one of several fortress built along the northern border of Urartu and was one of the most important political, economic and cultural centers of the kingdom...
and Museum |
Where the city of Yerevan was first founded in 782 BC by King Argishti IArgishtis I was the sixth known king of the ancient Armenian kingdom of Urartu, reigning from 785 BC to 763 BC. He founded the citadel of Erebuni in 782 BC, which is the present capital of Armenia, Yerevan....
. |
| Cossack Monument |
A monument to the Cossacks killed during the Russian-Persian wars in 1826-1827. |
| Karen Demirchyan Complex Officially Karen Demirchyan Sports and Concerts Complex , also known as Demirchyan Arena, Sports & Music Complex, or simply Hamalir , is a huge sports and concert complex located on the Tsitsernakaberd hill in Yerevan city...
|
or Hamalir, Concert hall and sports complex. |
MatenadaranThe Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts , commonly referred to as the Matenadaran , is an ancient manuscript repository located in Yerevan, Armenia...
|
Institute of Ancient Manuscripts. One of the richest depositories of manuscripts and books in the world. |
| Yerevan Opera House The Armenian National Academic Opera & Ballet Theatre in Yerevan was founded in 1932 and was opened on January 20, 1933. The theatre building was constructed in 1940 by the architect Alexander Tamanian...
|
The Armenian National Academic Opera & Ballet Theatre. |
| Swan Lake |
The most beloved place for the residents of Yerevan, located in the opera park. It turns to ice skating arena in winters. |
| Lover's Park (Boghossian gardens) |
Opened in October 2008 on Baghramyan street and has a very unique design. |
| Kino Moskva) |
Famous movie theater. |
| Mother Armenia Mother Armenia is the female personification of Armenia. Her most visual rendering is a monumental statue in Victory Park overlooking the capital city of Yerevan, Armenia.- Mayr Hayastan - Victory Park Statue :...
|
A statue located in Haghtanak Park (Victory Park). |
| Nairi Cinema (Kino Nairi) |
Famous movie theater. |
| Komitas Pantheon Komitas Park stands behind cast-iron railings on the right Ordzhonikidze Avenue, the district’s main road. Many outstanding figures of Armenia’s artistic world are buried here, including Komitas , one of Armenia’s great composers...
|
Cemetery where many famous Armenians are buried. |
| Sasuntsi Davit David of Sasun is an Armenian epic hero who drove Arab invaders out of Armenia.The Sasuntsi Davit is an Armenian national epic poem recounting David's exploits...
|
A statue dedicated to a famous Armenian hero. |
Statue of HaykHayk is the legendary patriarch and founder of the Armenian nation. His story is told in the History attributed to Moses of Chorene .- Etymology :...
|
Statue of a legendary patriarchOriginally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy...
and founder of the Armenian nation. |
| Tsitsernakaberd Tsitsernakaberd is a memorial dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide; it is located on a hill overlooking Yerevan, Armenia. Every year on April 24, hundreds of thousands of Armenians gather here to remember the victims of the 1915 Armenian Genocide that took place in the Ottoman Empire...
|
Monument commemorating the victims of the Armenian GenocideThe Armenian Genocide , also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Calamity , was the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
. |
| Saint Gregory Cathedral Saint Gregory the Ilumminator Cathedral is the largest Armenian church in the world and is located in the Kentron District of Yerevan in Armenia. It is adjacent to the Zoravar Andranik metro station...
|
The largest Armenian church in th world |
| Surb Zoravor Church Surb Zoravor Church is one of the oldest churches of Yerevan. At first, it was called 'St. Astvatsatsin', but later it was renamed 'St. Zoravor', most probably in the honour of Saint Vartan Mamikonian . The church is located in the Shahar District of Old Yerevan where the tomb and the Chapel of...
|
A 17th century church, one of the oldest churches in Yerevan |
Blue MosqueThe "Blue Mosque", also known as the "Gök Jami", , is a mosque in Yerevan, Armenia. The region of Yerevan was under various Muslim rule since the incursions of Timur in the 14th century...
|
A Persian mosque, is the only one working in Armenia. |
| Yerablur Yerablur is a military cemetery located on a hilltop in the outskirts of Yerevan, Armenia. Since 1988, Yerablur has become the home of the Armenian soldiers who have lost their lives during the Nagorno-Karabakh war...
|
Cemetery where Armenians that fought in the Nagorno-Karabakh WarThe Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in the small enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in southwestern Azerbaijan, between the majority ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh backed by the Republic of Armenia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan...
are buried. |
| Yerevan Waterworld |
A modern complex of entertainment and water adventures. |
Yerevan ZooThe Yerevan Zoo, also known as the zoological garden of Yerevan, was established in 1940. The garden takes up an area of about thirty-five hectares.At present the garden counts about 1500 different animals and 260 species....
|
Yerevan zoo. |
Twin towns — Sister cities
Currently, Yerevan has twenty-seven sister cities.
| City |
Country |
Year |
| Carrara Carrara is a city in the province of Massa-Carrara , famous for the white or blue-gray marble quarried there. It is on the Carrione river, some 100 km west-northwest of Florence....
|
Italy ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
|
From 1965 |
PodgoricaPodgorica, sometimes transliterated Podgoritsa , is the capital and largest city of Montenegro. It is at , above sea level.A census in 2003 put the city's population at 136,473...
|
Montenegro MontenegroMontenegro , is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast, Kosovo to the east and Albania to the south...
|
From 1974 |
AntananarivoAntananarivo is the capital and largest city in Madagascar. It is also known by its French colonial shorthand form Tana....
|
Madagascar MadagascarMadagascar, or Republic of Madagascar , is an island nation in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa. The main island, also called Madagascar, is the fourth-largest island in the world, and is home to 5% of the world's plant and animal species, of which more than 80% are endemic to...
|
From 1981 |
Cambridge, MACambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, a nexus of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Notably, Cambridge is home to two internationally prominent...
|
United States United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
|
From 1987 |
MarseilleMarseille , formerly known as Massalia , is the 2nd most populous French city as well as the oldest city in France...
|
France FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
|
From 1992 |
AthensAthens , the capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery; as one of the world's oldest cities, its recorded history spans around 3,400 years....
|
Greece GreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , is a country in southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula....
|
From 1993 |
Lyon||-||}Lyon , often Anglicized as Lyons, is a city in east-central France in the region Rhône-Alpes, situated between Paris and Marseille. Its name is pronounced in French and Arpitan, and or in English...
|
France France |
From 1993 |
StavropolStavropol is a city located in south-western Russia and is the administrative center of Stavropol Krai. Population: 355,900 ; -History:...
|
Russia RussiaRussia , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia . It is a semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
|
From 1994 |
| Ispahan |
Iran IranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran is a country in Western Asia. The name Iran has been in use natively since the Sassanid period and came into international use from 1935, before which the country was known internationally as Persia...
|
From 1995 |
KievKiev or Kyiv , is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300...
|
Ukraine UkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east; Belarus to the north; Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west; Romania and Moldova to the southwest; and the Black Sea and Sea of Azov to the south. The city of Kiev is both the capital and the largest city of...
|
From 1995 |
| Moscow Moscow is the capital and the largest city of Russia. It is also the largest metropolitan area in Europe, and ranks among the largest urban areas in the world. Moscow is a major political, economic, cultural, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the world, a...
|
Russia Russia |
From 1995 |
OdessaOdessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .Odessa was founded by Hacı I Giray, the Khan of Crimea, in 1240...
|
Ukraine Ukraine |
From 1995 |
| Florence Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence...
|
Italy Italy |
From 1996 |
| Tbilisi Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form Tp'ilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
|
Georgia GeorgiaGeorgia Georgia Georgia is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Situated at the juncture of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the south by Turkey and Armenia, and to the east by Azerbaijan...
|
From 1996 |
BeirutBeirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon with a population of over 2.1 million as of 2007. Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's coastline with the Mediterranean sea, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan Area, which...
|
Lebanon LebanonLebanon , officially the Republic of Lebanon [Republic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies...]
|
From 1997 |
DamascusDamascus is the capital and largest city of Syria. It is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world and its current population is estimated at about 1,669,000...
|
Syria SyriaSyria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south and Israel to the southwest....
|
From 1997 |
| Saint-Petersburg |
Russia Russia |
From 1997 |
MontrealMontreal is the second-largest city in Canada and the largest city in the province of Quebec. Originally called Ville-Marie , the city takes its present name from Mont-Royal, the triple-peaked hill located in the heart of the city, whose name was also initially given to the island on which the...
|
Canada CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
|
From 1998 |
ParisParis is the capital of France and the country's most populous city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
|
France France |
From 1998 |
| Volgograd Volgograd , formerly called Tsaritsyn and Stalingrad is an important industrial city and the administrative center of Volgograd Oblast, Russia. It is long, north to south, situated on the western bank of the Volga River and has a population of 1.011 millon people...
|
Russia Russia |
From 1998 |
BratislavaBratislava is the capital of the Slovak Republic and, with a population of about 429,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River...
|
Slovakia SlovakiaThe Slovak Republic is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe with a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia borders the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south. The largest city is its capital, Bratislava...
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From 2001 |
MinskMinsk is the capital and largest city in Belarus, situated on the Svislach and Niamiha rivers. Minsk is also a headquarters of the Commonwealth of Independent States . As the national capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is also the administrative centre of Minsk...
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Belarus BelarusBelarus is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the north. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel , Mahilyow and Vitebsk...
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From 2002 |
| São Paulo São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil and the world's 7th largest metropolitan area. The city is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous Brazilian state. It is also the richest city in Brazil. The name of the city honors Saint Paul. São Paulo exerts strong regional influence in...
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Brazil BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
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From 2002 |
AkhaltsikheAkhaltsikhe is a small city in southwestern Georgia, Mkhare of Samtskhe-Javakheti with a population of 46,134. It is situated on the both banks of a small river Potskhovi, which separates the city to the old city in the north and new in the south...
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Georgia GeorgiaGeorgia Georgia Georgia is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Situated at the juncture of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the south by Turkey and Armenia, and to the east by Azerbaijan...
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From 2005 |
ChişinăuChişinău , is the capital and largest municipality of Moldova. It is also its main industrial and commercial centre and is located in the middle of the country, on the river Bîc. The city is the most economically prosperous locality in Moldova, and its largest transportation hub...
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Moldova MoldovaMoldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east and south....
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From 2005 |
Rostov-on-DonRostov-on-Don is the city and the administrative center of Rostov Oblast and the Southern Federal District of Russia, located on the Don River, just 46 km from the Sea of Azov. Population: -Geography:...
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Russia Russia |
From 2005 |
Los AngelesLos Angeles is the largest city in the state of California and the second largest in the United States. Often abbreviated as L.A. and nicknamed The City of Angels, Los Angeles has an estimated population of 3.8 million and spans over in Southern California...
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United States United States |
From 2007 |
Education
As the capital of Armenia, Yerevan has the biggest number of educational institutions in the country. There are 27 colleges and twelve
art schoolArt school is a colloquial term for any educational institution with a primary focus on the visual arts, especially graphic design, illustration, painting, photography, and sculpture...
s that are administered by the Minister of Education of Armenia.
The biggest public and private universities of Armenia are located in Yerevan. They attract large numbers of foreign students, notably from
IndiaIndia, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
and
IranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran is a country in Western Asia. The name Iran has been in use natively since the Sassanid period and came into international use from 1935, before which the country was known internationally as Persia...
, because of competitive prices and education of
health scienceHealth science or biomedical science is the applied science dealing with health.There are two approaches to health science: the study and research of the food that we eat; and the study and research of health-related issues to understand how humans and other animals function, and the application...
in
EnglishEnglish is a West Germanic language that developed in England during the Anglo-Saxon era. As a result of the military, economic, scientific, political, and cultural influence of the British Empire during the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, and of the United States since the mid 20th century,...
.
Universities
Universities in Yerevan include:
| Institute |
| Official website | Date
established | Student
population |
|---|
American University of ArmeniaThe American University of Armenia is a private, nonsectarian, independent university founded in 1991 in Yerevan, Armenia. Its creation inspired in the aftermath of the 1988 Leninakan Earthquake, the university is the first Armenian institution modeled on Western-style higher education, committed...
|
AUA |
http://www.aua.am/ |
1991 |
268 |
| Cavendish University |
CUA |
http://www.cavendish.am |
2008 |
550 |
| Eurasia International University Eurasia International University is an Armenian university providing education to local and international students. Established in 1997, EIU has branches in Yerevan, Ijevan and Noyemberian, Republic of Armenia...
|
EIU |
http://www.eiu.am/ |
1996 |
|
| State Engineering University of Armenia The State Engineering University of Armenia is a technical university located in Yerevan, Armenia. Established as the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute in 1933, it provides educational and research programs in various fields of technology and science related to engineering.Currently there are more...
|
SEUA |
http://www.seua.am |
1933 |
10,000 |
| Yerevan State University of Architecture and Construction |
YSUAC |
http://www.ysuac.am |
11 January 1989 |
|
Yerevan State UniversityYerevan State University is a university, located in Yerevan, Armenia. It is the largest university in Armenia. It was founded on May 16, 1919. Its faculties contain 110 departments. Of its 3,150 employees, 1,190 comprise the teaching staff which includes 25 academicians, 130 professors, 700...
|
YSU |
http://www.ysu.am |
16 May 1919 |
10,450 |
| Yerevan State Linguistic University Yerevan State Linguistic University after V. Bryusov , is a university in Yerevan, Armenia, which trains specialists in Russian, English, French, German, Spanish languages, practical psychology, history, political science, area studies and other humanities...
named after Valery Brusov |
YSLU |
http://www.brusov.am |
4 February 1935 |
full time 4,700 |
| Yerevan State Medical University Yerevan State Medical University after Mkhitar Heratsi is a leading medical school in Yerevan, Armenia. YSMU was founded in 1920. The highest administrative organ is the University Council, which convenes at least twice a year. The Council makes decisions about the main activities of the University...
named after Mkhitar Heratsi |
YSMU |
http://www.ysmu.am |
1930 |
|
| Yerevan State Musical Conservatory Yerevan State Musical Conservatory or Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory, is a conservatory located in Yerevan, Armenia. It was founded in 1921 as a music studio, and re-founded two years later as a higher musical education institution....
named after Komitas |
YSC |
http://www.conservatory.am |
1921 |
|
| Yerevan State Pedagogical University Yerevan State Pedagogical University is institutional academy in Yerevan, Armenia. Yerevan State Pedagogical University was founded in 1922, which prepares teachers in twenty fields.- See also :* American University of Armenia...
named after Khachatur Abovian |
YSPU |
http://www.aspu.am/ |
1922 |
|
| European Regional Educational Academy |
ERIICTA |
http://www.eriicta.am/ |
4 October 2002 |
|
| Yerevan State Academy of Fine Arts |
YAFA |
http://www.yafa.am/ |
1945 |
|
| Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography |
|
|
|
| Yerevan State Institute of Economy Yerevan State Institute of Economy is a high-education institute, located in Yerevan, Armenia. It was founded on August 6, 1975, on the basis of economical faculties of Yerevan State University. Its 5 faculties contain 29 departments. The teaching staff includes 41 professors, 130 docents , and 40...
|
YSINE |
http://www.ysine.am/ |
1975 |
|
| State Agrarian University of Armenia |
SAUA |
http://www.armagrar-uni.am/ |
1994 |
|
| Armenian State Institute of Physical Culture |
ASIPC |
http://www.asipc.am/ |
1945 |
|
| Russian-Armenian State University Russian-Armenian State University is located in Yerevan, Armenia in the Arabkir district. The University is managed both by the Russian Federation and the Republic of Armenia and has the status of higher state educational institutions of both states...
|
RAU |
http://www.rau.am |
29 August 1997 |
1,600 |
| Fondation Université Française en Arménie Fondation Université Française en Arménie is a French language higher educational institution in Armenia. Instruction is primarily in French and Armenian. It has been established with the help of the Jean Moulin University Lyon 3 business school, the IAE Jean Moulin University Lyon 3. The near of...
|
UFAR |
http://www.ufar.am |
1995 |
700 |
| USEL University |
USEL |
http://www.usel.am |
1991 |
|
| Urartu University |
|
http://www.urartuuniversity.com |
1991 |
|
| Gladzor University |
|
http://www.gladzor.am |
1990 |
|
| Yerevan Haybusak University |
YHU |
http://www.haybusak.org/ |
1990 |
|
| Northern University (Armenia) |
|
http://www.northern.am/ |
1996 |
|
Sports
The most played and popular sport in Yerevan is football. Yerevan has many clubs with six in the
2008 seasonThe 2008 Armenian Premier League season was the seventeenth since its establishment. It started on 6 April 2008, while the last matches were played on 15 November 2008. Pyunik FC were the defending champions. The Yerevan side won their seventh consecutive league title the previous season, their...
of the top league.
| Club | Stadium |
|---|
FC Ararat YerevanFC Ararat Yerevan , is an Armenian football club, based in Yerevan. Currently, the club plays in the Armenian Premier League and is one of the most popular teams in Armenian football.- History :...
|
Abovyan City Stadium |
FC BanantsFootball Club Banants , is an Armenian professional football team, playing in the capital, Yerevan. The club plays in the Armenian Premier League and has won the Armenian Cup twice; in 1992 and 2007.- Banants Kotayk :...
|
Banants StadiumBanants Stadium is an all-seater football stadium in the Malatia-Sebastia District of Yerevan, Armenia, built in 2006 with the assistance of the UEFA, it was officially opened in 2008. It can serve around 6,000 supporters and is the home ground of FC Banants. Two more grounds around the stadium are...
|
Kilikia FC |
Hrazdan StadiumHrazdan Stadium is a multi-use, all-seater stadium in Yerevan, Armenia, built in 1972. It is the largest stadium in Armenia currently used mostly for football matches. Hrazdan is the home stadium for the Armenia national team and Kilikia FC. The stadium is able to host 58,000 after the most recent...
|
Ulisses FC |
Republican StadiumOficially Vazgen Sargsyan Hanrapetakan Stadium is an all-seater multi-use stadium in Yerevan, Armenia. The construction of the stadium started in 1937 and finished within a year...
|
Mika FC |
Mika StadiumMika Stadium is an all-seater football stadium in Yerevan, Armenia, built in 2007. It can serve around 8,000 supporters and is the home ground of Mika FC. The stadium is sometimes being used by Ulisses FC....
|
Pyunik FC |
Republican StadiumOficially Vazgen Sargsyan Hanrapetakan Stadium is an all-seater multi-use stadium in Yerevan, Armenia. The construction of the stadium started in 1937 and finished within a year...
|
Yerevan has four major stadiums which are
Banants StadiumBanants Stadium is an all-seater football stadium in the Malatia-Sebastia District of Yerevan, Armenia, built in 2006 with the assistance of the UEFA, it was officially opened in 2008. It can serve around 6,000 supporters and is the home ground of FC Banants. Two more grounds around the stadium are...
,
Mika StadiumMika Stadium is an all-seater football stadium in Yerevan, Armenia, built in 2007. It can serve around 8,000 supporters and is the home ground of Mika FC. The stadium is sometimes being used by Ulisses FC....
,
Republican StadiumOficially Vazgen Sargsyan Hanrapetakan Stadium is an all-seater multi-use stadium in Yerevan, Armenia. The construction of the stadium started in 1937 and finished within a year...
and
Hrazdan StadiumHrazdan Stadium is a multi-use, all-seater stadium in Yerevan, Armenia, built in 1972. It is the largest stadium in Armenia currently used mostly for football matches. Hrazdan is the home stadium for the Armenia national team and Kilikia FC. The stadium is able to host 58,000 after the most recent...
, along with two small ones;
Nairi StadiumNairi Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Yerevan, Armenia. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the second home ground of Pyunik FC as well as FC Banants. The stadium can serve around 2,000 supporters....
and Erebuni Stadium. Hrazdan is the main and biggest stadium which also houses a sports complex that is composed of
boxingBoxing is a combat sport where two participants, generally of similar weight, fight each other with their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee and is typically engaged in during a series of one to three-minute intervals called rounds. There are three ways to win...
and
karateis a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands...
training facilities, swimming pool, basket-ball arena and
tennisTennis is a sport played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a strung racquet to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court....
courts.
The biggest indoor arena of the city and the whole country is the
Karen Demirchyan Sports and Concerts ComplexOfficially Karen Demirchyan Sports and Concerts Complex , also known as Demirchyan Arena, Sports & Music Complex, or simply Hamalir , is a huge sports and concert complex located on the Tsitsernakaberd hill in Yerevan city...
, which is mostly used for
Figure SkatingFigure skating is a Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
shows and concerts.
Armenia has always excelled in chess with its players being very often among the highest ranked and decorated. The headquarters of the Armenian Chess Federation is located in the Kentron (central district) in Yerevan and there exists plenty of chess clubs in the city. In 1996, despite a severe economic crisis, Yerevan hosted the
32nd Chess OlympiadThe 32nd Chess Olympiad, organized by the Fédération Internationale des Échecs and comprising an open and women's tournament, took place between September 15 and October 2, 1996, in Yerevan, Armenia.- Chess competition :...
. In 2006, the four members from Yerevan of the Armenian chess team won the
37th Chess OlympiadThe 37th Chess Olympiad, comprising an open and women's tournament and the general assembly of the Fédération Internationale des Échecs, took place between May 20 and 6 June, 2006, in Turin, Italy.-Open tournament:...
in
TurinTurin is a major city as well as a business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River surrounded by the Alpine arch...
and repeated the feat at the
38th Chess OlympiadThe 38th Chess Olympiad, organized by the Fédération Internationale des Échecs and comprising an open and women's tournament, as well as several events designed to promote the game of chess, took place between 12-25 November 2008, in Dresden, Germany....
in
DresdenDresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
. The Yerevan-born leader of this team,
Levon AronianLevon Aronian is an Armenian chess Grandmaster. On the September 2009 FIDE list, he has an Elo rating of 2773, making him number three in the world and Armenia's number one...
, is currently one of the world's top chess players and is number six on the April 2008 FIDE rankings.
Notable people
Notable people who are from or have resided in Yerevan:
- Khachatur Abovian
Khachatur Abovian was an Armenian writer and national public figure of the early 19th century who mysteriously vanished in 1848 and was presumed dead. He was an educator, poet and an advocate of modernization...
, writer
- Vladimir Akopian, chess player
- Viktor Ambartsumian, astrophysicist
- Levon Aronian
Levon Aronian is an Armenian chess Grandmaster. On the September 2009 FIDE list, he has an Elo rating of 2773, making him number three in the world and Armenia's number one...
, chess player
- Alexander Arutiunian
Alexander Grigorevich Arutiunian, also known as Arutunian or Harutiunian is an Armenian composer and pianist, Professor of Yerevan State Conservatory, widely-known particularly for his Trumpet concerto described as flashy by the New York Times...
, composer
- Gokor Chivichyan
Gokor Chivichyan is an Armenian-American Judo, submission grappling, and mixed martial arts instructor. Gokor currently trains professional and amateur fighters at the Hayastan MMA Academy in North Hollywood, CA....
, judoka
- Armen Dzhigarkhanyan
Armen Dzigarkhanyan is one of the most popular Soviet and Armenian actors.He starred in dozens of Soviet films and provided the voice for many Soyuzmultfilm cartoon characters...
, actor
- Gevorg Emin
Gevorg Emin was an Armenian poet, essayist, and translator,Emin was born Gevorg Muradian, the son of a school teacher, in the town of Ashtarak....
, poet
- Djivan Gasparyan
Djivan Gasparyan is an Armenian musician and composer. He plays duduk, an Armenian double reed woodwind instrument related to the orchestral oboe. Gasparyan is widely known as the Master of the duduk.-Biography:...
, composer
- Ara Gevorgian, composer
- Silva Kaputikyan
Sirvard Barunaki "Silva" Kaputikyan was a 20th century prominent Armenian poet, writer, academian and public activist...
, poet
- Sergei Khachatryan, violinist
- Aram Khachaturian
Aram Khachaturian was a Soviet-Armenian composer whose works were often influenced by Armenian folk music.-Life:...
, composer
- Khoren Hovhannisyan
Khoren Georgijević Oganesian is a former Armenian and Soviet football midfielder, player of the USSR national football team. At the club level, he mostly played for club Ararat Yerevan...
, football player
- Edgar Manucharyan
Edgar Manucharyan is an Armenian football striker/attacking midfielder, who currently plays for Eerste Divisie club HFC Haarlem, on loan from Eredivisie club Ajax Amsterdam...
, football player
- Artavazd Karamyan
Artavazd Karamyan is an Armenian football midfielder. Artavazd currently plays for the Romanian team FC Timişoara in the left midfield position...
, football player
- Roman Berezovsky
Roman Berezovsky , born on August 5, 1974 in Yerevan, Armenia SSR is an Armenian football goalkeeper, currently with Russian Premier League club FC Khimki and is a member of Armenia national team...
, football player, goalkeeper
- Michel Der Zakarian
Michel Der Zakarian is a former Franco-Armenian professional football defender and manager....
, football player and manager
- Arthur Abraham
"King" Arthur Abraham is an Armenian professional boxer residing in Berlin, Germany. He has been undefeated as IBF Middleweight World champion.- Biography :...
, boxer, current IBFThe International Boxing Federation, or IBF, is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :...
middleweightMiddleweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have begun in the 1840s. In the bare-knuckle era, the first middleweight championship fight was between Tom Chandler and Dooney Harris in 1867...
World champion
- Armen Movsessian
Armen Movsessian is a violin player. His formal training as a musician began as a child. He received his high school diploma from the Tchaikovsky's School of Music for the musically gifted, and earned his B.A. and Master’s from the Yerevan Conservatory named after Komitas...
, violinist
- Shavo Odadjian
Shavarsh "Shavo" Odadjian is an Armenian-American songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and director. He is best known as the bassist and occasional songwriter of the Grammy Award-winning rock band, System of a Down...
, bassist of the band (System of a DownSystem of a Down is an Armenian-American rock band from Glendale, California, formed in 1994...
)
- Sergei Parajanov
Sergei Parajanov was a Soviet Armenian film director and artist, widely regarded as one of the 20th century's greatest masters of cinema.He invented his own unparalleled cinematic style...
, film director
- Karo Parisyan
Karapet Parisyan is an Armenian American mixed martial artist. His fighting style is primarily Judo but has been modified to fight without the use of a judogi...
, UFC fighter
- Gevorg Petrosyan, kickboxer
- Sargis Sargsian
Sargis SargsianSargis SargsianSargis Sargsian(Sar-kees Sar-kee-see-uhn (born June 3 1973, Yerevan) is a former professional tennis player from Armenia.Sargsian turned pro in 1995, and has won one singles and two doubles titles during his career on the ATP Tour...
, tennis player
- Rafik Khachatryan
Rafik Khachatryan was an Armenian sculptor.-Biography:He was a direct descendant of the house of Daniel-Bek of Sassun and Khachatur-Bek of Mush .* He is the father of Garegin Khachatryan Rafik Khachatryan (October 7, 1937 - January 16, 1993) was an Armenian sculptor.-Biography:He was a direct...
, sculptor
- Gevorg Sargsyan
Gevorg Sargsyan is an Armenian conductor.Winner of Sir Georg Solti Foundation grant-award for 2006, Gevorg Sargsyan is one of the youngest and most renowned Armenian conductors....
, opera conductor
- Martiros Saryan
Martiros Saryan was a Russian-born Armenian painter.He was born into an Armenian family in Nor Nakhijevan . In 1895, aged 15, he completed the Nakhichevan school and from 1897 to 1904 studied at the Moscow School of Arts, including in the workshops of Valentin Serov and Konstantin Korovin...
, painter
- Alexander Shirvanzade
Alexander Shirvanzade was an Armenian playwright and novelist. His original name was Alexander Movsesyan.-History:...
, writer
- Levon Ter-Petrossian
Levon Ter-Petrossian , sometimes transliterated Levon Ter-Petrosyan or Ter-Petrosian , was the President of Armenia from 1991 to 1998...
, first president of Armenia (1991-1998)
- Samvel Yervinyan
Samvel Yervinyan is a musician and composer. He plays the violin. He began studying at the age of 7 in Spenderian Music School under the tutoring of Armen Minasian. In the competitions he participated, he won all the first place prizes in his age group...
, violinist
- Tigran Mansurian
Tigran Mansurian is a notable Armenian musician and composer.-Biography:In 1947 Mansurian's family moved to Armenia, finally settling in the capital Yerevan in 1956. Mansurian studied at the Yerevan Music Academy and completed his PhD at the Yerevan State Musical Conservatory where he later taught...
, Grammy nominated composer
- Ruben Hakhverdyan, poet and singer
List of notable persons born in Yerevan: People from Yerevan
See also
- Radio Yerevan
Radio Yerevan, or Armenian Radio jokes have been very popular in the Soviet Union and in other Communist countries of the ex-Eastern bloc since the second half of the 20th century....
- Zvartnots Airport
- Yerevan Physics Institute
Yerevan Physics Institute is a research and development institute, located in Yerevan, Armenia. It was founded in 1942 as a branch of Yerevan State University by brothers, Abraham Alikhanov and Artem Alikhanian. It is often referred to by the acronym YerPhI .-External links:*...
- Yerevan Metro
The Yerevan Metro is a rapid transit system that serves the capital of Armenia, Yerevan. The system was launched in 1981 and like most former Soviet Metros, its stations are very deep and intricately decorated with national motifs...
- Yerevan TV Tower
Yerevan TV Tower is a 311.7-metre high lattice tower on Nork Hill in Yerevan, Armenia. It was built from 1974 to 1977 as a replacement for the old 180-meter high TV tower at Yerevan...
- Yerevan drive
Yerevan Drive is the first Armenian 3D game. The objective is to rally in the streets of Yerevan. The menu and the soundtrack are in Armenian language...
- Old Yerevan
External links