Sights and landmarks in Yerevan

Sights and landmarks in Yerevan

1. See

   2,750 fountains of Shahumyan Park

   When Yerevan celebrated its 2,750th birthday, this park opened a water feature with a fountain for each year of Yerevan's history.

2. See

   Abovian street

   Աբովյան Փողոց

   It's home to very few remaining Belle Époque period structures of Republican Armenia. Some gems of Art Nouveau, early Modern (constructivist and the like), and Moorish Revival style can be found in the backyards of Abovian, Nalbandian and Hanrapetutian streets. Most often they are in a very poor condition due to neglect. Hanrapetutian st. might get a special attention if you are not time constrained.

3. See

   Aram Khachaturyan House Museum

   The home of late composer Aram Khachaturyan (1903-1978) has been turned into a museum. Things like his manuscripts and piano are on display here, and the building also has a concert hall.

4. See

   Armenian Genocide Memorial (Genocide Museum & Tsitsernakaberd Monument)

   Ցեղասպանության զոհերի հուշարձան

   An austere monument & museum commemorating the victims of the Armenian Genocide. The permanent collection documents the 19th C community, then its ruthless destruction circa 1915 at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. Tsitsernakaberd (meaning "Fortress of Swallows") is probably best reached by taxi. Walking from town, follow Athens St past the Hrazdan Stadium to Brazil Square roundabout, where a little lane branches north up the hill.

   Monument always open, museum Tue-Sun 11:00-16:00·Free

5. See

   Armenian Railways Museum

   Museum of Railway Transport of Armenia

   Presents the history of the Armenian railway, from 1895. Exhibits are labelled in Armenian and Russian, but not English. Several large exhibits are in an adjacent garden, accessible from the museum. A steam locomotive and carriage stand in the station, and are accessed by crossing the tracks at the Yerevan end of the platforms.

   Closed Mondays·Free

6. See

   Blue Mosque

   An 18th-century Shia Islamic Mosque, one of the few surviving structures of a once (before Soviet secularisation) prospering Muslim community of Yerevan.

7. See

   Cafesjian Museum of Modern Art

   Cafesjian Centre for the Arts

   A modern art museum, housing the collection of Gerard Cafesjian. It has Arshile Gorky, Andy Warhol, Marc Chagall and other big names on display. The collection is very rich in Glass Art, has many pieces of the Libenský-Brychtová couple, including specially made 'For Armenia' series. Special galleries display monumental tryptichons or reliefs focusing on Armenian history. Entry can be made at any level, but information desk, shop, study center and facilities are at the bottom. In front of the cascades, there is a sculpture park with some Boteros and other plastics.

   Escalators gallery daily 08:00-20:00; special galleries Fri-Sun 10:00-20:00·Free

8. See

   Cascade Memorial to the Victims of Soviet Repression

   Cascade Memorial

   Monument dedicated to the memory of the victims of Soviet-era murders and deportations, atop the Yerevan Cascade, next to the obelisk that commemorates 50 years of Soviet Armenia. The Cascade Memorial was designed by Jim Torosyan, Yerevan's chief architect between 1971 and 1981, and was constructed in the late 1980s and completed around 2008. Inside the large concrete structure, a memorial slab has the inscription of "To All Your Souls on Fire", from the "Frenzied Masses" poem by Yeghishe Charents who himself fell victim to the repressions in 1937. So far, this monument often has been neglected, but it connects to a major part of Armenia's recent history.

9. See

   Cascades, Sculpture Park and Cafesjian Museum

   Cafesjian Centre for the Arts

   The Sculpture Park is a small green zone in the immediate North of the Opera. Sculptures from Botero and other artists of international fame decorate the park. The park is part of Cafesjian Museum - the Armenian version of Guggenheim. The main part of the museum is in the Cascades - an Art Deco version of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon stretching nearly the height of the Empire State Building. It's a massive white stairway up a hillside of central Yerevan, decorated with green stretches, fountains and waterfalls. Higher level of the Cascades give a spectacular view of Mount Ararat and panorama of central Yerevan with its hilariously multi-colour roofs. The first floor and the bookstore of the museum as well as the indoor escalators to the top of the Cascades are free of charge.

   Tue-Thu 10:00-17:00, Fri-Sun 10:00-20:00·Adults 1,000 dram, children under 12 - free

10. See

    Eduard Isabekyan Gallery

    Small but good art museum, commemorating the eponymous artist. Housed in an interesting round building in Brutalist style.

    500 dram

11. See

    Erebuni Fortress

    The excavations, recreations and museum of the nearly 3,000-year-old fortress that established Yerevan. Fairly well- (and maybe the best-) preserved fortress of Urartian Period in Armenia.

    1,000 dram

12. See

    Erebuni Museum of History

    Էրեբունու թանգարան

    The museum stands at the foot of the Arin Berd hill, on top of which the Urartian Fortress Erebouni has stood since 782 BCE. The City-Fortress was excavated, some parts of the structure were reinforced and restored, and the fortress was turned into an outdoor museum. The city was built by Argishti I the King of Urartu in 782 BCE. The temple of God Khaldi occupied an important place in the fortress. The walls of the temple were decorated with numerous frescos. The museum houses 12,235 exhibits. It has two branches in Shengavit and Karmir Blur with 5,288 and 1,620 exhibits respectively in stock.

    Tue-Sun 10:30-16:30·1,000 dram for museum and site; 500 dram for site only. Tour in foreign language 2,500 dram

13. See

    Fountains of Saryan Post Park

    Saryan-Mashtots Park

    Tons of fountains - including a huge splash pad that kids love to run through in the summer.

14. See

    Freedom (or Theatrical) Square

    On the north the square is bordered by the Opera House, followed by a park with a lake and full of open air cafés on the east, and from south it borders the Northern Avenue

15. See

    History Museum of Armenia

    A roundup of the nation's history from early settlements to the 20th century. Lots of archaeological exhibits and pieces of art give an impression of each period. If you would like to move along the timeline then start at the top of the building. The early periods are amply annotated, but the English (and Russian) tags thin out considerably by mid-19th century, reappear in the exhibit dedicated to the Great Catastrophe of 1915 (though it's very disturbing even without a single word), and are missing completely for the Soviet era, so if you're interested in the more modern history of the country and don't speak Armenian, a guided tour may be advisable. A "strictly no photography" policy applies. As of October 2022, the majority of the exhibition is under renovation and according to staff, this will hopefully be finished in 2023. For this time, the price is reduced to 1,000 dram.

    Tue-Sat 11:00-18:00, Sun 11:00-17:00·2,000 dram, usual discounts apply

16. See

    Hovhannes Tumanyan Museum

    Dedicated to renowned prominent thinker, writer, poet, fabulist and humanist Hovhannes Toumanian, with 18,000 exhibited items. Rooms of the Apartment are: Study Room, Guest Room, Dining Room, Children’s Room, Nvard Toumanian’s Room, Balcony, Olga’s Room,

17. See

    Katoghike

    Holy Mother of God Kathoghike Church, Սուրբ Աստվածածին Կաթողիկէ Եկեղեցի

    A tiny structure constructed in typical Armenian style. Katoghike means "cathedral"; the reason for the incongruity is that the original 13th century church had a much larger basilica attached to it in the 17th century - but that addition was demolished in 1936. In 2015 a new and much larger separate church was built next to Kathoghike, the cream colored St. Anna church.

18. See

    Katoghike Tsiranavor Church of Avan

    Ավանի Սուրբ Աստվածածին Կաթողիկե Եկեղեցի, Katoghike Tsiranavor church, later renamed Surp Hovhannes

    This is the city's oldest surviving church, which was completed in the 6th century.

19. See

    Levon's Divine Underground

    Levon Arakelyan's Magical Cave

    Levon Arakelyan's wife asked him to dig a potato storage cellar, but instead of this he created a complex structure of stairs, corridors and rooms inside a rock. It took him 23 years to do this until he died in 2007. His wife now organises excursions showing these undergrounds.

20. See

    Martiros Saryan House-Museum

    If you are a lover of bright colours and enjoy Impressionist art then the House Museum of Martiros Saryan is a place for you. It's a 3-floor structure, designed by the artist and built during his lifetime, both as his home and a house for his heritage after his death.

    Fri-Wed 11:00-18:00·1,000 dram. Tour in Russian, English, French 2,500 dram

21. See

    Mashtots avenue

    It's the 8-lane highway of the city which somehow also accommodates a pedestrian zones on the sides (result of standard Soviet planning of main 'Prospekts'). It is overly noisy because of the heavy traffic (mostly unorganised public transportation) but the parts close to The Opera is a favourite hangout place for the locals. There are three buildings on the avenue which are well worth attention - Matenadaran, the covered market (the interior is now a modern supermarket and mall, but the highly-decorated original exterior survives) and Blue Mosque.

22. See

    Matenadaran

    Houses the world's largest collection of Armenian illuminated manuscripts, and one of the largest such collections of any kind in the world. A display room has a sampling of some of the finest works, and the additional cost of the guided tour is worthwhile. The building is dug into the hill and can withstand a nuclear attack. The white stone statue in front is of Mesrop Mashtots, teaching the Armenian alphabet, his invention, to a rapt disciple (Koryun, Armenia's first historian and biographer), and looking down at the street of his name.

23. See

    Modern Art Museum of Yerevan

    Houses quite a selection of contemporary art by mostly Armenian artists. On the opposite side of the street, there is the newly opened HayArt cultural center as well as the Eduard Isabekyan Gallery.

    Tue-Sun 11:00-18:00·1,500 dram

24. See

    Mother Armenia

    Մայր Հայաստան հուշարձան

    Erected in 1967, replacing the monumental statue of Joseph Stalin.

25. See

    Museum of Woodwork

    Houses some artifacts of Armenian historical wood carving culture (doors, furniture and the like), and wood-based sculptures by modern day artists.

26. See

    National Assembly of Armenia

    Yellow brick building, finished in 1950 to house the Supreme Soviet of Armenia. Today it serves as the parliament building.

27. See

    Northern Avenue

    Impossible to miss, this pedestrian avenue was opened in 2008 connecting Opera with Republic Square, the two hubs of central Yerevan. It's a post-modern response to post-World War II Soviet Yerevan architecture. It is emerging as the shopping district, together with Sayat-Nova ave., Terian st., Tumanian st. and Abovian st.

28. See

    Parajanov Museum

    The House-Museum of Sergei Parajanov, a famous Soviet film director. The museum is best known for special Parajanov collages and art that everybody loves and enjoys. It is equally highly appreciated by children, teenagers and the most demanding art critics. Many highest level official informal meetings are conducted here. It is a must-see!

    Daily 10:00-17:30·1,000 dram (audio guide 2,000, real guide 5,000 dram)

29. See

    Republic Square

    Armenian: Հանրապետության Հրապարակ Russian: Площадь Республики

    The city's main square is a grand example of Soviet public architecture. The early buildings (the Houses of Government, the Ministry of Communications and the Marriott Hotel) are Neo-Classical with Armenian hints. The later buildings (the Foreign Ministry and Art Gallery) are Modernist imitations. Within the square, the Singing Fountains perform most evenings April-Oct, dancing and frothing to classical and contemporary music. In Oct 2018 the city mourned the passing of Charles Aznavour with impromptu shrines, images and sound tracks here and elsewhere: the Singing Fountains danced pretty much the same to his best-known tunes as they'd previously done to Rossini's or Sinatra's.

30. See

    Saint Sarkis Cathedral

    From the Victory Bridge (or alternatively the Brandy Factory building) there is a beautiful view on the church and surroundings (structures of different shades constructed in immediate proximity to the church during the Soviet years of forced secularisation). The church is always crowded. Usually there are also many young people as St Sargis (or St Sergius in Western churches) is the patron saint of young people and of lovers.

31. See

    Singing Fountains

    The big fountains of Republic Square with a music, light and of course dancing water show every evening.

    Daily 21:00-22:00

32. See

    Soviet Club

    Combination museum and restaurant with numerous Soviet-era household exhibits - cars, appliances, arcade games, and posters. Visitors can actually play the arcade games, dance to 1970s/1980s music, and enjoy food and drink from the era.

    Tue-Sun, 5PM - midnight·2000 AMD

33. See

    St Astvatsatsin of Nork

    Holy Cross Church, Սուրբ Խաչ եկեղեցու

    This is the replica of a beautiful 18th-century St Holy Mother of God (Sb Astvatsatsin in Armenian) church destroyed during the Soviet years of forced secularisation. Because of the sudden death of the benefactor the church complex was never finished.

34. See

    St Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral

    Completed in 2001 to commemorate the 1700th anniversary of Armenia as a Christian nation. The holy relics of St Gregory the Armenian were given back to the Armenian Church by the Vatican in 2001 and placed in this cathedral. The building is a megalomaniacal exaggeration of traditional Armenian Church Architecture. As opposed to all other churches in Yerevan (and Armenia) the cathedral is full of light and does not carry any stand for candles. The candle-house is a separate structure next door. However, the complex is vastly and visibly unfinished.

35. See

    St John The Baptist Church

    St Hovhannes Church

    A church with three naves, built in 1710 and renovated and expanded in the 1980s.

36. See

    Sunken Fountain

    At the foot of the Cascade complex, which itself has many fountains, this sunken fountain with lots of seating is one of Yerevan's coolest spots to escape the heat of summer.

37. See

    The Ararat Cognac Factory

    Ararat Wine Brandy Vodka Factory Museum

    The oldest factory in Armenia. Offers tours and tasting, but the people there are very uptight and the place is overrun by tourists.

    Tour 3,500/5,000 dram without/with tasting

38. See

    The National Art Gallery

    Founded in 1921, the Gallery preserves more than 42,000 works of Armenian and international fine art and decorative-applied arts. Its collections include masterpieces by world-renowned artists such as Hovhannes Aivazovsky, Vardges Sureniants, Arshile Gorky, Marc Chagall, Wassily Kandinsky, Donatello, Tintoretto, and many others. The Gallery also preservs unique fragments of medieval Armenian church frescoes from Armenia and Armenian cultural centers abroad. Features several floors full of mostly paintings, organized by their country of origin. The Armenian collection is the best and of very high quality, the Russian is quite good, and art lovers will enjoy the European collection as well.

    Tue-Sat 11:00-18:00, Sun 11:00-17:00·1,500 dram

39. See

    The Yerevan History Museum

    Presents all periods of the life in Yerevan starting from paleolithic settlements (50,000 years) to modern days. Ancient maps and the pictures of the lost city, pre-Soviet Erivan, are of special interest. Lift and sloping floors for people who use wheelchairs.

    Mon–Sat 11:00–17:30·400 dram. Tour in Russian, English, French, German 3,000 dram

40. See

    Train Station and Sasuntsi David Statue

    Kayaran or David of Sassoun Square

    Beautiful square and train station with Soviet classical architecture, and one of Armenia's most famous monuments - the soaring statue of Sasuntsi David (David of Sasun), which is often used as a symbol of the city.

Browse all 116 places in Yerevan

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Yerevan (CC BY-SA 4.0).