As the Capital of Armenia: The Soviet Period/Second Republic (1920 - 1991)
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History:
A New General Plan: The Re-foundation of Yerevan
Yerevan was the first city in the Soviet Union for which a General Plan was developed. The General Plan of Yerevan, approved in 1924, was elaborated on by architect Alexander Tamanyan (1978-1936).
It was designed for a population of 150,000. In the course of time the administrative area of the city increased over five times. Tamanyan reconciled national traditions with contemporary urban construction. As a result, Yerevan became a constructivist city with the appearance of Armenian national identity and Soviet socialist ideology. Due to the radial-circular design of the city presented by Tamanyan that overlaid the existing city, many historic buildings were demolished. Many of the newly built community districts of Yerevan were named after the regions of Western Armenia where the Armenian population was exterminated by the Ottoman Turks during the Armenian Genocide.
Examples include the community-districts of Arabkir, Malatia-Sebastia, Nork Marash, etc. After the end of World War II, German captives were used in the construction works of new buildings and structures, such as the Victory Bridge and the Kievyan Bridge . Stones of basalt, granite, and marble were used in the city’s construction. However, rosy tuff was the most widely used construction material. Tuff gave a unique vividness and specific shade to the city earning it the name “Rosy City”. In 1968, Yerevan celebrated its 2,750th anniversary.
Yerevan experienced a rapid growth during the 20th century as the capital of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic within the Soviet Union. During these times, Yerevan went through an unprecedented transformation from an imperial provincial town to Armenia’s primary cultural, industrial, and scientific center, and to one of the most dynamic and developed cities of the Soviet Union.
General Plan of Yerevan by
Alexander Tamanyan
Copyright: Hrant Kasparyan