As the Capital of Armenia: The Soviet Period/Second Republic (1920 - 1991)
)
History:
Did you know?
Yerevan had its own auto brand, the Yeraz, which was
manufactured between 1964 and 1995, and was quite a popular brand in the Soviet Union and within the socialist block. Due to the collapse of the Soviet Union and the economic crises that followed, the manufacturing of vehicles began to decline. However, the company continued working during the time of independence until it was ultimately closed in 2002.
In 1965, Yerevan became the center of mass demonstrations, which were the first large scale forms of public expression in the Soviet Union. The year marked the 50th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, and the demonstrators called for the recognition of the Genocide by the USSR authorities. The protests resulted in the construction of the Genocide Memorial in 1967 on the Tsitsernakaberd Hill in Yerevan.
The capital city also played a crucial role in matters of self-determination and freedom of speech during the 1980s, when the Armenian national democratic, environmental, and Nagorno Karabakh liberation movements emerged. These movements arose within the context of
the reforms known as Glasnost and Perestroika, which were started by Mikhail Gorbachev (1985-1991), who was the last leader of the Soviet Union. These movements gradually developed into a demand for independence from the USSR. In February of 1988, nearly one million residents in Yerevan engaged in rallies in support of independence. The center of the mass protests was the Theater Square (Opera Square), which was later named
Liberty Square, and has since then been hosting social and political movements.
"Viva Armenia that will come tomorrow",
Movses Gorgisyan (May 28, 1989)
(Video)