Climb the Cascade & Cafesjian sculpture garden

About

The Cascade is a monumental limestone stairway complex on the northern edge of central Yerevan, built beginning in 1971 by architects Jim Torosyan, Aslan Mkhitaryan, and Sargis Gurzadyan. It rises 302 meters from the gardens on Tamanyan Street through five terraced levels connected by 572 steps and a series of fountains. In 2002 the Cafesjian Museum Foundation partnered with the Armenian government to restore and complete the structure, investing more than 35 million dollars. New York architect David Hotson designed the museum spaces integrated into the Cascade, which officially opened on November 17, 2009. The New York Times described it as one of the most ambitious works of contemporary architecture undertaken in the former Soviet republics.
What you can do: Climb the Cascade's outdoor stairs and escalators, passing fountains and sculpture terraces with views back over the city toward Mount Ararat. Walk through the Cafesjian Sculpture Garden and see large-scale contemporary sculptures. Visit the indoor galleries to see the glass art collection and paintings by Botero, Chihuly, Gorky, and others. See Grigor Khanjyan's triptych in the Khanjyan Gallery. Attend concerts and cultural events the center hosts through the year.