Republic Square (Armenia)

Republic Square

The History Museum and the National Gallery (left) and the Government House (right) in Republic Square as seen at night, 2013
Former name(s)	Lenin Square (1940–1990)
Maintained by	Yerevan Municipality
Area	3 hectares (30,000 m2)
Location	Kentron, Yerevan, Armenia
Nearest metro station	Republic Square
Construction
Construction start	1926
Completion	1977
Other
Designer	Alexander Tamanian

Republic Square (Armenian: Հանրապետության հրապարակ, Hanrapetut′yan hraparak, known locally as Hraparak, Հրապարակ, "[city] square") is the central town square in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. It consists of two sections: an oval roundabout and a trapezoid-shaped section which contains a pool with musical fountains. The square is surrounded by five major buildings built in pink and yellow tuff in the neoclassical style with extensive use of Armenian motifs. This architectural ensemble includes the Government House, the History Museum and the National Gallery, Armenia Marriott Hotel and the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Transport and Communications. The square was originally designed by Alexander Tamanian in 1924. The construction of most of the buildings was completed by the 1950s; the last building—the National Gallery—was completed in 1977.

During the Soviet period it was called the Lenin Square and a statue of Lenin stood at the square and military parades were held twice (originally thrice) a year. After Armenia's independence Lenin's statue was removed and the square was renamed. It has been described as Armenia's and the city's "most important civic space", Yerevan's "architectural highlight" and the city's "most outstanding architectural ensemble". Travel writer Deirdre Holding suggested that it is "certainly one of the finest central squares created anywhere in the world during the 20th century."

The square consists of two sections. The oval roundabout that has a stone pattern in the center, meant to look like a traditional Armenian rug from above. The trapezoid-shaped section which contains the musical fountain in front of the History Museum and the National Gallery. The buildings around the square are made of pink and yellow tuff stones, fortified on a basalt-made ground anchor.