Cafesjian Sculpture Garden and Botero's Roman Warrior

Why is it significant?

Spread out before you is the celebrated Cafesjian Sculpture Garden, part of the Cafesjian Center for the Arts and one of the finest public sculpture parks in Eurasia. Founded in November 2009 by American-Armenian philanthropist and collector Gerard L.

Key Facts

Open the walk

Spread out before you is the celebrated Cafesjian Sculpture Garden, part of the Cafesjian Center for the Arts and one of the finest public sculpture parks in Eurasia. Founded in November 2009 by American-Armenian philanthropist and collector Gerard L. Cafesjian, this manicured garden displays monumental bronze masterworks by the world's most acclaimed twentieth- and twenty-first-century sculptors. Access is completely free, allowing citizens and visitors to engage directly with museum-quality art.

The crowning attraction is the collection of monumental bronzes by renowned Colombian sculptor Fernando Botero. Here stand three of his most iconic works: the three-ton Black Cat with polished whiskers and rotund flanks, the reclining Woman Smoking a Cigarette, and the majestic Roman Warrior in oversized classical armor with a comically diminutive shield. Botero's signature style—voluptuous volume and affectionate satire—brings delight to thousands of strollers who affectionately rub the shiny bronze limbs for good luck.

Nearby stands the dynamic bronze Hare on Bell by celebrated British sculptor Barry Flanagan, alongside lyrical openwork human silhouettes by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa and biomorphic bronzes by Lynn Chadwick. Gerard Cafesjian acquired these works at major international auctions at Sotheby's and Christie's, generously gifting them to the public domain of Yerevan. The sculptures sit nestled among colorful seasonal flowerbeds and manicured emerald lawns.

Without velvet ropes or barricades, visitors are invited to approach, touch, and photograph these priceless masterworks. The sculpture garden has made Tamanyan Street the most vibrant artistic outdoor destination in Armenia. Children playfully pose beside the colossal bronze cat, art students sketch the curved metal forms under the afternoon sun, and cascading fountains provide a refreshing musical backdrop to one of the most vibrant outdoor cultural promenades in the entire South Caucasus. The harmonious integration of bold international sculpture and landscaped gardens delights visitors of all ages.

Approach the broad stone base of the Cascade and begin ascending the first monumental terrace.