"Beautiful Soviet Architecture (is not an... " a Yerevan Travel Page by RaffiKojian

Yerevan is the capital of Armenia, and though it's older than Rome, the vast majority of it was built in Soviet times. Much of central Yerevan was leveled as a new plan was imposed in typical Soviet dictatorial style. After the demolitions, large boulevards, squares and numerous large parks were laid out and a massive construction boom began. Most buildings are covered in a pink stone facade, giving the whole town a unified feel and hue.

While the Soviet Union was often derided for its utilitarian and ugly architecture, that was not the rule for everything, and central Yerevan may be the nicest example of good Soviet architecture in the world. The massive Republic Square, surrounded by buildings with massive arches, colorful pink and cream stone facades, a mosaic stone traffic circle, and a newly redone set of singing fountains all lead to an unforgettably grand and unique square. Sitting at night at an outdoor cafe in the square, with the buildings lit up, and the fountains going, with crowds going by on the sidewalk is something not to be missed on a visit to Yerevan.

From Republic Square, there is a brand new pedestrian avenue taking you directly to the other hub of central Yerevan, 700 steps away. The Opera house and the square behind it. The square has a park, largely taken over by cafes, plus Swan Lake, entertainment for kids, great people watching, and of course the Opera house itself. The Opera house was one of the earlier Soviet buildings with two large halls, one on top of the other. The round building is covered with an austere basalt facade, with nice details carved into it.

A stroll along the sidewalks, another drink at a cafe, and something for everyone to do.

Continuing in a straight line from Republic Square to Opera and beyond, you go through a couple of parks to arrive at Cascades - the massive imposing white steps that cover an entire hillside, connecting downtown with the Monument neighborhood and Victory Park.

The white steps are loved by locals for countless reasons. There are many nooks all along the stairwell with fountains, flowers, seating... popular places for young couples to meet. Many works of art, by famous sculptors around the world have been placed along the steps, and there is a Botero cat at the bottom, and his Gladiator on top by the Monument.

Those living up in Monument love the escalator under the steps, which take you up much of the hillside.

In the summer and fall, concerts are held at Cascade, where the steps become the seating and a stage at the bottom transforms the entire area into a perfect venue for the people.

Perhaps the best reason to visit though is the view. The higher up you go, the better the views of downtown, with a spectacular view of Mt. Ararat rising in the background. On a clear day, this is the place to go and get your Ararat photo before things start to get hazy. The sunset views and colors are also just magical when Ararat is out... and even when it's hiding.