[EN] Yerevan at the times of the Russian Empire. Architecture of bourgeois city

The heritage of the pre-revolutionary Erevan is often overshadowed by the monumental forms of Soviet period. This tour will shed some light on bourgeois Erevan of the turn of XIXth and XXth centuries. We will get to know how the time of Persian dominion and annexation to the Russian Empire affected the city’s architecture. We will see mansions, tenant houses and public buildings of the prerevolutionary period. We will get acquainted with the main architectural styles of the turn of the centuries and will learn how to determine them. Also, we are going to discuss some examples of transfer of old buildings from one place to another and their reconstructions: successful and dubious. We will find out about the Venice Charter and why it is needed.

We will walk through the main streets of prerevolutionary Erevan. We will see male gymnasium, where gymnasium students had never learnt and tenant houses of merchants and manufacturers, which later on accommodated Soviet power institutions. We will figure out the connection between mansion of famous surgeon and tropical diseases with Ivan Aivazovsky. We will go down to the wine cellar- maran, which was owned by famous winemakers Tairov. And we will see the building, from the balcony of which the independence of Armenia was declared in 1918.

During the tour you will see:

●      a vivid example of state prerevolutionary construction – the Treasury building;

●      the street, where the first public transport in Erevan was launched;

●      prerevolutionary doors and elements of facades such as cartouche and flag holders;

●      the modern photo library and café, created in a building of prerevolutionary development;

●      authentic interiors and cozy yards of the turn of the XIXth and the XXth centuries.

Also, you will get to know:

●      why exactly black tuff became base building material during this period;

●      why the walls of houses were covered with clay-and-straw mixture and for what rails were used in the constructions;

●      why ancient buildings are being dismantled into bricks in Erevan;

●      what is dalan and how was it used;

●      why insurance boards were installed on the buildings.

Duration: 2,5 hours

Language: English

The starting point: Missak Manouchian Park, in front of the building on Arama st.,54, nearby drinking fountain

The final point: Mher Mkrtchyan st.,8

Organizational aspects:

●      This is an outdoor tour. So, please, be dressed according to weather conditions, put on comfortable shoes and take a bottle of drinking water with you.

●      The radio guide equipment will be used for your convenience. We will give you headphones, however it’s more comfortable with you to use your own ones – take them with you (devices are equipped with standard mini jack plug).