The main railway station of the Armenian capital It is located a little far from the city center, but you can get there using the subway. A metro station with a delightful name "Sasuntsi David" is ground-based, its tracks lie on the same level as the tracks of the Yerevan station.

The station building, built in 1956, is a structure made of volcanic tuff blocks, the so-called “apricot” color here. In front of him is Square of David of Sasun (David Sasuntsi) and a powerful monument to this very Sasunsky.

In the large parking lot in front of the main entrance to the station, we were met by the most natural asshole. Rotten tomatoes, corn scraps, watermelon rinds - a spontaneous market is clearly gathering here


David of Sasun is the hero of the medieval Armenian epic, who fought on the territory of Armenian Sasun (now the territory of Turkey) with Arab invaders.

Monument to David of Sassoun


On the high spire of the tower there is still a stylized Coat of arms of the Armenian SSR


Street lights in front of the station building



Vaults of the central hall

Ticket offices. Currently, the Armenian Railway is under the control of CJSC "South Caucasus Railway"- a special subsidiary of JSC Russian Railways.

AKH cells were found in one of the nooks and crannies of the station

A fountain from the distant Soviet past

Currently, only two long-distance trains leave from this station (Yerevan-Tbilisi, Yerevan-Tbilisi-Batumi) and a couple of commuter trains.

Stairs leading to the underground passage

Through an underground passage from the railway station you can get to the bus station from which intercity buses depart (including to the famous Khor Virap monastery, located near the Turkish border in front of Ararat)

There is still a free railway museum at the station, but about it in a separate post.

On Sasuntsi David Square near the railway station, in its very center, guests of Yerevan are greeted by a monument to David of Sasun (12.5 m, 3.5 tons) made of forged copper, riding on a strong horse Kurkike Jalali, mounted on a huge block of basalt.

Walking around the sculpture, you will notice how it subtly changes: a horse’s jump turns into a long flight, and a moment into eternity.
David of Sasun is the legend of the medieval heroic-epic narrative about the past of the Armenian people “David of Sasun”, which developed in the 7-10 centuries. David is an irresistible hero of superhuman strength, a lover of humanity, a lover of his country, a valiant daredevil and a lover of peace. The four branches of the epic (Sanasar and Baghdasar; Mher; David; Mher the Younger), originally recorded in 1873, tell the story of the struggle against the Arab invaders of heroes from Sasun (a region of medieval Armenia, now Turkey). For many centuries, David for the Armenian people has been the embodiment of freedom-loving aspirations.

The figure of David is valor and impulse, determination in battle with the enemy. At the edge of the pedestal, under the hooves of David’s horse, there is an overturned bronze bowl from which water flows as a symbol of the limit of the long-suffering of the Armenian people.
Infected by the feelings and energy of the hero figure, we are like witnesses and accomplices of what is happening. Walking around the sculpture, you will notice how it subtly changes: a horse’s jump turns into a long flight, and a moment into eternity. Even for a person unfamiliar with the epic “David of Sassoun,” it is absolutely clear that this hero, who raised his sword against the enemy, will defeat him without a doubt. Such is the power of Yervand Kochar’s art and talent. The monument to David of Sasun is of very great importance for Yerevan and for the whole of Armenia.

Monuments dedicated to David of Sassoun, #253#! The model for the sculptor-artist Yervand Kochar (1899-1978) when creating one of the masterpieces - the image of David was People's Artist of the USSR Vanush Khanamiryan. The architect of the monument is Mikael Mazmanyan. The monument to David of Sassoun was erected in 1959 in the middle of the pool (diameter 25 m), replacing the plaster sculpture erected in 1936. The opening was not attended by the top officials of the Armenian leadership, but there were many Sassoun residents. Huge tables were set, and the celebration continued until late in the evening.

Dear to the hearts of Armenians, the monument to David of Sasun for many years was the emblem of the Armenfilm film studio; it was depicted on the 1991 five-ruble anniversary coin issued by the Central Bank of the USSR, on metro tokens, and on Armenian postage stamps.

On the initiative of the Yerevan magazine and with the financial assistance of Ruben Vardanyan, the monument was restored in 2011, a new bowl was installed, the water supply system was replaced, night lighting was installed, the pool was landscaped and, finally, a sign was installed with information about it.
Yerevan residents love and are proud of this beautiful, expressive monument, which attracts many people, including tourists getting to know Yerevan. Everyone who has visited Yerevan at least once and seen the monument to David of Sassoun, which invariably leaves one in an ecstatic state, will forever remember this sculpture dedicated to the invincible spirit of the Armenian people.

How to get there
Address: Armenia, Yerevan, Station Square.

David of Sasun is the popularly beloved hero of “Sasna Tsrer” (“The Madmen of Sasun”), a medieval epic telling about the struggle of heroes from Sasun (a region in historical Armenia, now in Turkey) against Arab invaders. The epic finally took shape in the 7th-13th centuries, but it contains noticeable elements from Armenian myths and legends of pagan times. The third of the four branches of the epic is dedicated to David, his father is Mher the Elder (the main character of the second branch of the epic), and his most sworn enemy is Msra-Melik, the ruler of the Msyr kingdom. At the same time, Msra-Melik is David’s half-brother - their father, Mher the Elder, having defeated the previous Msyr ruler, managed to live with the widow of the deceased.

The confrontation between the two brothers runs through the entire plot and ends, of course, with the victory of David. Strong, but naive and a little crazy, like all Sasun heroes, David personifies the Armenian people, and the imperious, greedy, seemingly invincible ruler of the Msyr kingdom represents the foreign invaders.


It was the branch of David that was first reworked by Hovhannes Tumanyan in the form of the poem “David of Sassoun” in 1902. In 1939, as part of the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the epic, sculptor Yervand Kochar hastily sculpted a temporary, plaster monument to David. The sculptor later recalled: “we had ten centuries, but I was given the task a month and a half before the start of the celebration.” The monument also did not stand for long: in 1941, Kochar was repressed and the monument was destroyed. A new monument, which was supposed to stand in the same place - in front of the entrance to the Yerevan railway station - was ordered for Kochar in the 1950s. The grand opening of the monument took place on December 4, 1959.

Over the years, this bronze statue has become one of the unofficial symbols of Yerevan. The monument was depicted on the logo of the Armenfilm film studio, on a pack of Yerevan cigarettes, stamps dedicated to the city’s anniversary, and in general on everything possible.


Another famous image of David was created in 1920 by Hakob Kojoyan, and another monument to the Armenian hero appeared on the other side of the world in 1971: in the homeland of William Saroyan, in Fresno, California, the image of David was immortalized by sculptor Varaz Saumelyan. And in 2010, David became the protagonist of the first ever full-length Armenian animated film, directed by Arman Manaryan.


David of Sasun symbolizes the fight against foreign invaders. It is not surprising that it was his name that was given to the tank column created during the Great Patriotic War with money raised by representatives of the Armenian diaspora from all over the world.

Anyone who has visited Yerevan at least once will long remember the sculptural monument to David of Sasun, made by People's Artist of the USSR Yervand Kochar. This monument was created a little over twenty years ago, but it is no longer possible to imagine the ancient city, the same age as Rome and Babylon, without a mighty horseman riding a heroic horse.

There is not a person in Armenia who does not know about the exploits of David of Sassoun. This is a hero of the folk epic and a legendary personality. But the image is undoubtedly based on real events. After all, the reason for creating the epic was the uprising of the inhabitants of the mountainous region of Sasun against the tribute collectors of the Arab caliph. The epic tells the story of a hot-tempered young man of extraordinary strength. David could not keep up with it, and in his childhood games he continually wounded his comrades. Having matured, he turned his strength to protect the weak and offended. His main feat was the liberation of his native land from the invaders and the victory over their leader Mera Melik. It was a duel of equal opponents. However, David had justice on his side, and this determined the winner.

Knowing that the fight will not be easy, David takes with him the heroic weapon of his ancestors - the lightning sword and tames the mighty sea horse Jalali, who could reach the sun in a jump. And here is the decisive moment of the fight. Jalali reared up and rushed at the enemy. The wind scattered the horse's mane and threw back David's cloak. And he himself angrily knitted his eyebrows and, rising in the stirrups, raised his lightning sword for a crushing blow... This is how Yervand Kochar saw David of Sassoun.

A man of versatile talent, a talented painter, graphic artist, and sculptor, he created his first significant works in Tiflis at the beginning of this century. Then he lived and worked in Paris. In love with the art of the old masters, he at the same time sought new ways of expressing the complex modern reality. These searches led him to the creation of works where painting and sculpture exist in inextricable unity. They brought him wide fame.

But neither the resounding success nor the Parisian fame could keep the artist away from his homeland: in 1936, Yervand Kochar came to Yerevan, an ancient and at the same time young city under construction.

The artist’s experience and knowledge, enriched by new contact with national history and culture, determined the emergence of an important theme in the master’s work. At this time, Armenia was preparing to celebrate the millennium of “David of Sassoun,” and Kochar made illustrations for one of the publications.


The artist sees the heroes of the epic in a weighty, material, three-dimensional way and, breaking the usual ideas about book graphics, paints in gouache old stones with reliefs depicting episodes of the ancient legend. Yes, a fantasy, but firmly connected with national tradition, because from ancient times stone carvings have been used to decorate temples and “khachkari” stones in Armenia.

The epic nature of the narrative forced the artist to abandon pronounced movement in the compositions. Even the scene of the duel between David and Mera Melik, due to the fact that the figure of the young man is depicted in the center of a balanced composition, evokes a feeling of majestic calm. All this shows how talentedly Yervand Kochar embodied his understanding of the epic and the traditions of Armenian stone carvers. According to one researcher, he “made the illustrations as the people would probably have created them if they had wanted to record their history in stone.”

Almost two decades later, the artist again turns to this topic and creates a wonderful monument to David of Sassoun. Just as over the course of many years, freed from uncharacteristic details, becoming a symbol of courage and justice, the image of David of Sasso gradually took shape in the epic itself, so in the master’s work the image of the miracle hero finally matured.

Looking at Kochar’s illustrations, we constantly remember that the events they talk about took place a very long time ago. The text of the epic, printed next to it, and the illustrations themselves, stylized as antique, remind us of this. Another thing is a monument in a crowded square. Here the sculptor makes us, as it were, witnesses and even accomplices of what is happening, infecting us with the energy and feelings of his hero.

From the clink of a bowl overturned by a horse to the sound of a sword being lowered, just a moment of the duel was captured by the master. But, walking around the sculpture, we see how subtly it changes: a horse’s jump turns into a long flight, and a moment turns into eternity. As in an epic, a specific event takes on lasting significance.

If in a book the illustrations and text complement and explain each other, then the sculptural monument must “speak” itself. Even a person unfamiliar with the text of “David of Sassoun” should understand that before him is a hero who raised his sword against the enemies of his people, and his victory is undoubted. Compare the previous graphic sheet and sculpture - how much new Ervand Kochar introduced! The muscles of the rider and horse filled with greater strength. David's face changed. Jalali's jump looks different: the horizontal lines that give stability have turned into diagonal ones and the movement has become stronger and faster!

There are no random, ill-considered lines in the monument. From a pedestal made of basalt blocks and personifying the harsh nature of Armenia, water flows from an overturned bowl. In Armenian folklore, the idea of ​​life and strength has always been associated with it. David's shepherd's clothing - the clothing of a working man, not a warrior - makes us recall the history of Armenia, in which the creative work of the people was so often interrupted by invaders. The need to defend the independence of their homeland forced the peasant, artisan, and shepherd to take up arms.

Yes, it is difficult to find an image closer to the Armenian people and a more perfect embodiment of it. The monument is closely connected with the history and culture of Armenia and at the same time reflects high universal ideals. The viewer perceives it with both reason and feeling. All this makes the monument to David of Sasun, created by Yervand Kochar, one of the best in Soviet fine art.

As legend has it, the heaviest monument in Yerevan is installed on the station square in front of the main railway gates of the city: its weight exceeds 3.5 tons. And although in modern times, due to well-known reasons, the loud epithet does not yet really justify its purpose, nevertheless, the majestic monument to David of Sassoun is considered another calling card of the Armenian capital. Today, few people know that the sculptural composition was created by People's Artist of the USSR Ervand Kochar twice.

Back in 1939, in honor of the 1000th anniversary of the Armenian epic, a high government commission decided to erect a monument to the national hero in front of the Yerevan railway station so that David of Sassoun would greet guests arriving in the capital. Considering the importance of the task, we turned to many famous sculptors who refused to complete the work due to tight deadlines. However, Yervand Kochar, who returned home from Paris, had long dreamed of embodying the image of a folk hero in sculpture. “I have been nurturing this image for a long time, waiting to create it. Ten centuries were left, and they offered it to me only when there was only a month and a half left before the anniversary,” the sculptor later recalled.

Kochar had already mentally created his composition, and therefore, to implement it, he asked only for plaster and one assistant. For eighteen days the master worked right on the station square. As planned, the plaster monument to David of Sassoun was inaugurated in front of the Central Railway Station in September 1939. Despite the fact that after the anniversary the sculptor was going to cast it in metal, the idea had to be postponed for some time. During the difficult years of political repression, Kochar was given the opportunity to create, including on government orders, which, apparently, was very disliked by his less talented, but ideologically savvy colleagues in the shop. Based on a denunciation on June 23, 1941, the sculptor was arrested with the standard wording - for promoting “anti-Soviet ideology,” “treason,” and “espionage for France.” And as a warning to others, the plaster creation was destroyed to the ground. Only thanks to the petition of his fellow students at the Nersisyan Seminary - Karo Alabyan and Anastas Mikoyan - he was released from prison two years later.?

The return to my beloved brainchild was long. Only in 1952 did he again begin to work on sketches for a new composition, but the image was difficult to conceive. A year later, an incident helped when, at the premiere of the ballet “Sasuntsi David,” the sculptor found a living embodiment of his idea in the image of the young artist Vanush Khanamiryan, who performed in the title role. He was so fascinated by the dancer’s skill that he invited him to his workshop to “play the role of a model.” So the composition gradually began to acquire new monumental features.

The opening of the monument took place on December 3, 1959, although without the participation of the top officials of the republic. They say they were afraid because reinsurers called it too “nationalistic” and “not in keeping with the international idea.” But even without the “distinguished” guests, the common people organized festivities until the morning. For many years, David of Sasun was the first to greet guests of the capital who came to our country by train.

However, with the onset of the collapse of perestroika and the turmoil of changes, the new authorities forgot about the monument, and when they remembered, it suddenly became clear that it urgently needed restoration. The sculpture, 12.5 meters high, on three points of support began to sway from the strong wind... The water communications rusted... Vandals stole a bowl from under the hooves of a horse... And the monument itself, against the backdrop of the desolation and demolition of a number of historical buildings, seemed , stands out from the perspective of the once unified ensemble of the station square. There was even a proposal to move it to Republic Square to replace the demolished sculpture of the leader of the world proletariat. But it was immediately rejected by experts, who considered that the sculptural composition looked exactly in the space for which it was originally conceived.

By 2011, thanks to municipal support and financial assistance from our compatriots, the monument came back to life: the water supply system was replaced, night lighting was installed, a new bowl was installed, and the pool was landscaped. According to Viktor Rebets, General Director of SCR JSC, during city cleanup days, in agreement with the Erebuni community prefecture, railway workers pay special attention to special water procedures for David of Sassoun and his fabulous horse Jalali. Thanks to universal love, the monument still remains one of the main symbols of Yerevan. Adversity affected not only the monument, but also the station square, where the David of Sasunsky cinema and the Railway Workers' House of Culture were once located. By the way, it was here that the performances of Paronyan’s troupe took place when the theater was being renovated. The cinema closed in the early 80s, and then a few years later was demolished by order of the then chief architect of the city Papyan.

Experts call the destruction of the architectural building a gross mistake, and old-timers say that the reason was the hostility of some officials towards the architect Anna Ter-Avetikyan. Over time, on the site of the cinema, a long-term hotel building appeared, which gaped with empty eye sockets of reinforced concrete structures. True, two years ago Narek Sargsyan, in the status of chief architect of Yerevan, nevertheless promised to demolish the unfinished hotel in order to restore a cinema on this site...

The fact that David of Sasso Square needs to be put in order has been said repeatedly at various levels. Conceived in a single ensemble, strict and majestic, it was the first to greet guests who came to Armenia before the blockade mainly by train. Although today there are many passengers here again. And not only from commuter trains. “I have long had the idea of ​​improving the station square, since both the monument and the station building itself were discordant with the environment,” says Victor Rebets. “On the one hand, there is an unfinished hotel, on the other, a spontaneous market that does not at all correspond to the civil appearance of the capital city.” After negotiations with the then prime minister, the mayor and the prefect of the community, it was decided, with the help of an investor, to significantly change the unkempt landscape that had become familiar. A concept was developed for the reconstruction of an underground passage with exits to the metro, the railway platform and the city. Now, instead of “Wild Shanghai,” as it was popularly called, there is a completely comfortable passage with bright pavilions and space for passengers. And the square itself has become younger. And although, for well-known reasons, David of Sassoun has not been welcoming guests from foreign countries for twenty years, nevertheless, the residents of Yerevan are confident that everything is still to come.

Sergey Tigranyan