Evidence of ancient city can be found in its history,streets and places, monuments and architectural models which identify the time period. Though Yerevan has been tending to become a European city, due to the number of construction works periodically held in the city, there are still lots of spots that arouse admiration.
Abovyan street – we can hardly meet anyone who wouldn’t have thought: “I wish I had an apartment here”. Each of us has early recollections of the street: the one has studied, the other has worked and the third one has fallen in love. Abovyan Street (formerly Astafian named after the governor-general Astafiev) was one of the city’s narrow cobbled streets, when the Caucasus viceroy Baryatinski affirmed the layout of Yerevan. Due to the city plan the streets had to be flattened and fitted to the geographic position of the locality, while including the handicraft centre and the Chamber of Commerce. Astafian Street was officially opened in 1863. In 1883 the town duma decided to rename it to Aleksandrovskaya as a mark of honor to Aleksander the Third. Furthermore in 1921 the street was named after Khachatur Abovyan and wears that name up to this day. At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of 20th century Abovyan street was the city’s political, economical and cultural center with the most popular hotels “Grand Hotel”,
“Oriant”, “France” as well as medical centres and the town club. Our famous church Poghos-Petros which goes back to 5-6 cc., used to be located at the very place of today’s “Moscow” cinema, surrounded with a wonderful garden with St. Gayane School in. St. Astvatsatsin-Katoghike church (12-13cc.) was located a bit above at the crossroads of Sayat-Nova and Astafian. Astafyan Street was also the main administrative and commerce centre of the city. The street fell in green in springs surrounded with trees and flowers.
Our famous Karabala, whose monument is located at the very street, used to give flowers to the passers-by with specific love and gratification. Two-stored buildings, purling brooks and the first street railway was passing the street within 1906-1918 were typical to the street. Well, with time things change and so do spots, and Abovyan Street is no exception, but there is something that will hardly ever change: it’s the liveliness specific to the street, abundance of cars, passers-by walking on the street. Hence, here is the life in Abovyan street, every season, every day and every hour.

Facts provided by “Yerevan History Museum”