Abovyan Street is one of the oldest streets in Yerevan. It was previously called Fortress Street, and later renamed Astafyevskaya in honor of Governor-General M. Astafyev. Only in 1920 did the street receive its current name — in honor of 19th-century Armenian writer Khachatur Abovyan.
In the early 20th century, Abovyan Street became a true center of Yerevan’s business, cultural, and social life. It was home to the city’s most famous hotels — France, Orient, and Grand Hotel — as well as medical institutions, city clubs, and gathering places for the intelligentsia and government officials.
In the 5th–6th centuries, the site where the Moscow Cinema stands today was occupied by the Poghos-Petros Church, surrounded by a picturesque garden belonging to the school of Saint Gayane Church. The Katoghike Church, dating back to the 12th–13th centuries, stood slightly higher, at the intersection with Sayat-Nova Avenue. Opposite it rises the 14-story Ani Hotel, built in 1970.
The legendary Black Building on Abovyan Street has a history of 118 years. According to the original project, only two floors were planned, but in the 1930s a third was added. Interestingly, all floors were built in the same architectural style, harmoniously complementing one another.
In 1915, the building housed army barracks, and later it became a shelter for children who had survived the genocide. On May 16, 1919, the independent Armenian government decided to establish a university within its walls. It understood that building a new, independent Armenia required education and the formation of generations with national thinking and new values.
However, at that time Yerevan had no suitable building, so the first university of Armenia was opened in the city of Gyumri (then Alexandropol). In 1920, the university was moved to Yerevan and began operating in this beautiful Black Building on October 1.
In 1960, the university moved to a new building on Alek Manukyan Street, and the Black Building became part of the university complex. It was granted the status of a historical and cultural heritage monument.
This old street attracts visitors not only with its history but also with modern restaurants, shops, galleries, a lively atmosphere, and vibrant energy. It remains one of the most beloved places for locals.
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