The unique Armenian flavor of Soviet modernism combined the ideals of socialist design, classical stonework and pink volcanic stone.
From 1920 to 1991, Armenia was part of the Soviet Union. Known mainly as the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (it was renamed the Republic of Armenia in 1990), it was a place where industrialization flourished and utilitarian Soviet architecture prevailed. Now, more than 25 years after the collapse of the USSR, much of this architecture has been preserved, especially in Yerevan, the country’s vibrant capital. Each of the national republics of the USSR was allowed to interpret the Stalinist and other Soviet architectural styles in its own way, and what is especially attractive about the Soviet architecture of Armenia is its local flavor: the inclusion of elements such as the classical Armenian style and the famous local volcanic stone. like tuff, which earned Yerevan the nickname “Pink City.” Despite their often sanctioned origins, many of these structures have become especially beloved over time. Here are seven of the most famous:
Central Railway Station, Yerevan
Soviet-era transit stations are still scattered throughout Armenia, but one of the best examples in the country is the Yerevan Railway Station, located in the capital’s Erebuni district, south of the city center. Designed by the Armenian architect E. Tigranyan, the now iconic building was opened in 1956 and is still in operation: an architectural blend of socialist realism, demonstrating the glory of communism, neoclassicism and traditional Armenian style, built of pink tuff. One of the most intriguing features of the Soviet-era station is its Soviet—Armenian coat of arms — a five-pointed Soviet star above the likeness of Mount Ararat, sacred to Armenians – on the outer spire towering over its central entrance. This is one of the few places in the country where this coat of arms is still preserved.
The Yerevan Railway Station towers over Sasun Square, which also houses a copper statue of David of Sasunsky on horseback, the hero of the Armenian national epic “The Sassoon Daredevils”, erected in 1959. The USSR issued stamps and coins with his image.
Cinema Moscow, Yerevan
In the early years of Soviet rule, the Armenian leadership destroyed many of the country’s churches and shrines in an attempt to destroy organized religion and make way for more secular cultural institutions, including cinemas. One such example is the 5th-century Yerevan Church of Saints Peter and Paul, which was demolished and replaced by the Moscow Cinema, a 1936 cinema palace still in operation. Originally built in a constructivist style — a form of modern Soviet architecture that was nearing its end — architects Spartak Kndekhtsyan and Telman Gevorgyan added a functionalist-style outdoor hall in the 1960s, using concrete molds to transform the backyard between the two buildings. to one of the most popular public places in the city. In 1983, the opening film of the theater was also added..
When in 2010 the Armenian government came up with the idea of demolishing the summer hall and restoring the Church of Saints Peter and Paul in its former place, it immediately met with a negative reaction. More than 6,000 people protested in a Facebook group called “SAVE Cinema Moscow Open Air Hall”, declaring the now public space their own.
Cascade and Mother-Armenia, Yerevan
572 limestone steps lead from the garden of modernist sculptures at the base of the snow-white cascade of Yerevan to its top. Two staircases interspersed with layers of greenery, fountains and waterfalls connect the city center with its upper Monument district, offering stunning views of the city and Mount Ararat. The chief architect of Yerevan, Alexander Tamanyan, first came up with the idea of this hillside monument in the early 20th century, although it was not realized until the 1970s, when the Armenian-Soviet architect Jim Torosyan revived the concept and added impressive elements such as an external staircase and – inside the monument – a number of escalators and courtyards. Although the Art Deco building was partially completed in the early 1980s, it remained abandoned for many years after the earthquake in Armenia in 1988. with the subsequent collapse of the USSR in 1991. Since then, this strange Soviet-era masterpiece has been completely restored and revived, representing an Armenian version of the ancient Hanging Gardens of Babylon, complemented by its own museum of modern art, the Hafesyan Art Museum.
A little further on, at the top of the Cascade, is Victory Park and its guardian, Mother Armenia. This female embodiment of “peace through strength” stands atop a huge 170-foot-high basalt pedestal that was originally built for the colossal statue of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, erected in 1950 as a monument to victory in World War II. After Stalin’s death and the condemnation of his dictatorial regime, his image was removed, and in 1967 it was replaced by a hammered copper figure of Mother Armenia.
Despite the creation of a pedestal for the monument to Stalin, architect Rafael Israelian nevertheless designed it as a simple three-nave Armenian basilica, and not in the Soviet style. Years later, he admitted that he did it intentionally, saying that “the glory of dictators is temporary.”
Writer’s Resort, Sevan
The Sevan Writers’ Resort overlooks Lake Sevan in eastern Armenia, a popular vacation destination that is also the largest body of water in the entire Caucasus region. Unique among the local resort hotels and castle ruins, this distinctly Soviet-style shelter is for members and guests of the Armenian SSR Writers’ Union, which attracted literary luminaries such as the Russian poet Osip Mandelstam and the French writer and philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre. — In recent years, he has become an icon of Soviet modernism, appearing on everything from book covers to exhibition posters for the corresponding Vienna exhibition. What is particularly unique are the two self—contained structures — one is extremely photogenic than the other – each designed with a difference in years, but by the same architect. Armenian avant-garde architects Gevorg Kochar and Mikael Mazmanyan designed the resort’s original guest house in the early 1930s, a four-story square structure with curved balconies and lake views that interacted functionally with the surrounding environment. After the completion of the project, both men were exiled to Siberia for 15 years under Stalin and released only after his death, after which they were considered “rehabilitated.” After returning to the Writer’s Resort, Kochar began working on his dream project: the adjacent wing of the dining room for the complex, which fully corresponds to the design of the Soviet space age of that time. The cantilevered futuristic structure, completed in 1963, towers over the hillside on a central concrete pillar and features staggered arrays of curved glass windows offering panoramic views of Lake Sevan.
Zvartnots Tower, Yerevan
Another example of local Soviet-era architecture is the abandoned first terminal of Zvartnots International Airport and its central control tower. Built in the 1980s to meet the growing demand for domestic transportation in the Soviet Union, the circular terminal is considered a prime example of Soviet modernism and an important monument of the 20th century. The control tower, towering from its center, is a popular image for postcards and brochures. After the final closure in 2011 and a long-term struggle to save it, the terminal itself, resembling the Armenian version of Disney’s “Space Mountain,” unfortunately, is scheduled to be demolished later this year. However, the tower will remain standing.
Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO), Mount Aragats
One of the USSR’s most famous astronomical centers is located on the southern slope of Mount Aragats, 13,420 feet high, hidden among farmers and goat herders near the tiny village of Byurakan in the Armenian Highlands. Honored Architect of the Soviet Union Samuel Safaryan designed the Soviet-style buildings and campus of the observatory, opened in 1946, including rounded astronomical towers, laboratory buildings, and even a small guest house. In 1971, the BAO hosted a Soviet-American conference dedicated to communicating with extraterrestrials: an event attended by everyone from Marvin Lee Minsky, co-founder of the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, to Carl Sagan, co-organizer. The observatory is still operational and open to visitors.
Sanatoriums, Jermuk
The mountainous town of Jermuk in the Vayots Dzor region in southern Armenia, known both for its Soviet-era architecture and its healing mineral waters, was one of the most popular Soviet resorts in Armenia in the 1970s and 80s. Despite the wave of new development, many of its original sanatoriums and buildings from the 1950s and 60s have been preserved, although they are in different condition.
References: Laura Kiniry — Smithsonian Magazine