SQUARES AND PARKS

1950

Architect: A. Minasyan

Author of fountains։ Abraham Abrahamyan

It is located in the Shengavit administrative district of Yerevan, formerly known as Lenin's industrial district. Originally named after the Armenian revolutionary Suren Spandaryan (1882–1916), it was renamed in 1991 to honor the renowned Armenian military and political figure Garegin Nzhdeh (Garegin Ter-Harutyunyan, 1886–1955), who was also a founder of the national ideology known as “TSEGHAKRON.”

The square is the second largest in the city and serves as a crucial transport hub, covering an area of 200 by 130 meters. It features a rectangular layout with a semicircular section in the southwestern part. Construction began in 1950, with contributions from architects Arshavir Minasyan, Tiran Marutyan, Eduard Zellbekyan, Eduard Sarapyan, Hrant Karapetyan, Levon Melkonyan, and others.

The construction of residential buildings was carried out in several stages over the course of one year. The development included residential buildings with commercial spaces on the ground floors, accommodating shops and other public facilities. Two high-rise buildings were designed to accentuate the entrance to Lake Yerevan.

In the center of the square, there was a water pool and a pair of fountains, along with an oval-shaped park and a tramway line. The park was particularly notable for its decorative elements, including beautiful urns and bird sculptures, fish sculptures, and red sand covering the ground.

In the mid-1970s (until 1975), the square’s fountains were transformed into color-music “singing” fountains. These were designed by radio technician Abraham Abrahamyan and his team, who were also responsible for similar fountains at Republic (formerly Lenin) Square, as per the decree of the Yerevan City Council.

Spandaryan Square is a popular recreational area for the residents of Yerevan. In the latter half of the 1980s, the fountains and water pool were relocated to a park west of the square, where Shoghakat Park was later established. An underground public center was constructed on the square’s site from 1986 to 1992, with the “Spandaryan” (Garegin Nzhdeh) station being renovated by architects Levon Gevorgyan, Vitaly Gevorgyan, and Gagik Hovhannisyan.

In December 1982, a decision was made to erect a monument to Suren Spandaryan in the square, and a memorial was placed. This initiative was realized in 1990 when a bronze statue of the Bolshevik revolutionary, sculpted by Tom Ghorgyan (height: 3.5 meters, with a bronze pedestal), was installed at the edge of the park.

In 2011, there were discussions about dismantling Spandaryan’s statue from the square. However, the Armenian Communist Party objected to what they considered cultural vandalism. As a result, it was decided to preserve the statue and move it to Labor Square, replacing the Laborer’s cast iron statue (sculpted by Ara Harutyunyan in 1982 and dismantled in 1997). Despite this decision, Suren Spandaryan’s statue remains in Garegin Nzhdeh Square, continuing to surprise and perplex visitors.

“Scientific Research Centre of Historical and Cultural Heritage” SNCO

Yerevan Municipality