France Square and Auguste Rodin's Bastien-Lepage Monument

Why is it significant?

Conclude your tour of central Kentron at France Square, the pivotal urban crossroads where Yerevan's three grandest avenues converge: Mesrop Mashtots, Sayat-Nova, and Marshal Baghramyan.

Key Facts

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Conclude your tour of central Kentron at France Square, the pivotal urban crossroads where Yerevan's three grandest avenues converge: Mesrop Mashtots, Sayat-Nova, and Marshal Baghramyan. The square was officially dedicated in September 2006 by French President Jacques Chirac and Armenian President Robert Kocharyan during the Year of Armenia in France, celebrating centuries of deep cultural affinity, shared democratic values, and fraternal friendship between the two nations.

In the center of the rotary atop a granite pedestal stands an authentic bronze sculpture of French naturalist painter Jules Bastien-Lepage, cast from the original model by the legendary French sculptor Auguste Rodin. This priceless work of art was officially presented as a state gift to Armenia by French President Nicolas Sarkozy during his state visit in October 2011. Rodin captured his close painter friend in an alert stance holding palette and brushes, gazing intently at nature. The bronze was cast in Paris by the celebrated Rudier foundry.

France was one of the first nations in the world to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide by law, and the French-Armenian diaspora has enriched global culture through luminaries like Charles Aznavour, painter Jean Carzou, and Oscar-winning composer Michel Legrand. Across from the plaza rise the green terraces of Martiros Saryan Park, while northward stretches Tamanyan Street leading directly to the monumental white stairway of the Cascade.

Standing at France Square, take in the breathtaking vista looking north toward the Cascade rising dramatically toward the Kanaker heights. You have explored the timeless stone avenues of the Pink City, experiencing its neoclassical elegance and enduring spirit. The bustling intersection pulses with urban vitality, linking the historic center with the open-air cultural parklands of the northern slopes while the pink tufa facades glow warmly in the late afternoon sun. Here the neoclassical vision of Alexander Tamanyan reaches its northern threshold, inviting further discovery into the artistic heights of the capital.

Relax at a Parisian-style sidewalk bistro along Sayat-Nova Avenue or continue upward into the Cascade Sculpture Garden.