Cascade Complex

If you want to see the new breath of Armenian Architecture, Cascade Complex is just two minutes walk from Opera theatre. This extraordinary building was built in the 1970’s. The complex connects the Victory Park to the city centre.  It includes a big statue of Tamanyan, the garden of Tamanyan, the external and internal stairs of the Cascade stairway, the Cafesjian Center for the Arts, sculptures, fountains and lots of cafés.

The architecture of the Cascade Complex

Cascade Complex starts from the big statue of Alexander Tamanyan, the architect of Yerevan. The official opening of the statue was in 1974; the sculptor of the statue was Artashes Hovsepian. The statue of Tamanyan bends over a big stone fixed on two smaller stones. The sculptor explained that the left stone symbolizes the old architecture, while the right one represents the new period of architecture. Thus Tamanyan creating a bridge between these two periods built the capital city of Yerevan.

History of the Cascade Complex

After completing the statue, it was decided to add something that would become one of the symbolizing buildings of the city. The mission was to create such a building that would be monumental and dynamic, unique and fashionable at the same time.

As a result, the architects Jim Torosian, Aslan Mkhitarian, and Sarkis Gyurzadian designed and constructed the Cascade complex. The complex consists of numerous stairs and platforms. Each platform has green areas with beautifully planted flowers, sculptures and a wonderful view of Yerevan and the biblical mountain Ararat.

The famous Cafesjian Center for the Arts is located in the Cascade complex. The founder, Gerard L. Cafesjian, was a famous Armenian businessman and philanthropist. The centre offers a wide variety of exhibitions of contemporary art. Walking around in the Cascade Complex you can see many pieces of contemporary art from the Cafesjian collection.