TheFreedom Square orLiberty Square (Armenian:Ազատության հրապարակ,Azatut'yan hraparak), also known asOpera Square and, formerly,Theatre Square (Թատերական հրապարակ,T'aterakan hraparak) until 1991, is atown square located inKentron (Center) district ofYerevan,Armenia. The square is part of theYerevan Opera Theater complex, located just to the south of the main opera building, between the opera park and the Swan lake. Along with theRepublic Square, the Freedom Square is one of the two main squares in central Yerevan. It is bordered with four streets: Tumanyan Street, Teryan Street, Sayat Nova Avenue andMashtots Avenue. The statues of writerHovhannes Tumanyan and composerAlexander Spendiaryan are located in the square.
The square was built together with the building of the Alexander Spendiaryan Opera and Ballet Theater.Alexander Spendiaryan's grave is located in the park surrounding the square. In 1957, bronze-granite statues ofHovhannes Tumanyan andAlexander Spendiaryan were installed on the square to mark the 40th anniversary of theOctober Revolution.
On the eastern side of the square at the intersection of Tumanyan and Teryan streets, an artificial reservoir was built in the early 1960s - “Swan Lake”, reminiscent ofLake Sevan in shape. On July 4, 2003, near the square, on the shore of Swan Lake, a monument was erected in memory of the outstanding Armenian and Soviet composerArno Babajanyan. In March 2019,Yerevan City Hall dismantled a number of cafes built in the green area of the square. On November 4, 2022, in honor of the 100th anniversary of conductorOhan Duryan, his monument was unveiled near the square’s park. The author of the monument is sculptorGetik Baghdasaryan.
Due to a tradition of demonstrations at the square, it has been described as a "symbol of democracy" in Armenia.[1]
The square has variously been estimated to be able to hold 42,000–45,000[2] to 50,000 people.[3]
The semi-circular square is known for its prominent role in modern history of Armenia. Since theKarabakh movement in February 1988, the Freedom Square has become a center of popular demonstrations. To suppress the demonstrations the square was closed down several times within 1988 by Soviet police and military forces.[4][5][6]
After Armenia's independence in 1991 the square has been the main location of anti-government rallies, especially following presidential elections in1996,2003, 2008, and2013.
In the aftermath of the disputed2008 presidential election, thousands of supporters of opposition leader and Armenia's first presidentLevon Ter-Petrosyan gathered in the square and begansit-ins. In the early morning of March 1, 2008 thesepeaceful protests were violently dispersed by the police and the square was closed down for civilians.[7] For around 20 days, the square remained under occupation by police and armed forces to enforce the state of emergency. Subsequently, it was closed down for rallies for over three years, until March 17, 2011 when Ter-Petrosyan'sArmenian National Congress staged a large rally.[8]
On August 28, 2008[9] the Armenian government made a decision to start a construction of an underground parking lot beneath the square to relieve the surrounding streets where parked cars often complicate the traffic. The opposition claimed the decision was intended to prevent demonstration there, although the government denied these allegations. The three-storey parking lot for up to 500 cars was opened on May 24, 2010 in attendance of MayorGagik Beglaryan and PresidentSerzh Sargsyan. The project cost about $10.5 million.[10][11]
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The square, which is a symbol of democracy and victory going back to late Soviet times, was immediately turned into a construction site as the city began to build a huge underground parking garage.
Մեծ խտության դեպքում` մինչեւ 42-45 հազար մարդ` միայն ասֆալտին:
Մի խոսքով, ներկայիս հանրահավաքների առավելագույն թիվը Ազատության հրապարակում կազմում է 50 հազար մարդ, քանի որ շրջակա տարածքները ներկայումս կառուցապատված են եւ այնտեղ մարդիկ գրեթե չեն լինում:
Residents awoke the next day [of 22 March 1988] to find Theater Square and the opera house ringed by fresh-faced soldiers..."
The virtually nonstop, open-air political discussions that raged outside the city's neoclassical opera house have ended. The square beside the opera house is now ringed by tanks and troops, who wear bulletproof vests at nightfall.
It was clear by early afternoon Saturday that after 10 days of peaceful protests, the demonstrators, who had been beaten by police officers in the morning, were spoiling for a fight.
40°11′07″N44°30′54″E / 40.18528°N 44.51500°E /40.18528; 44.51500
