The roof of the underground parking facility built under Yerevan’s Liberty square has cracked less than two years after construction.
So it happens, that the roof of the parking facility is also the Yerevan’s Liberty square.
The square has been the epicenter of Armenia’s political landscape since early 1990’s, when historic rallies staged here resulted in the reestablishment of today’s independent Republic of Armenia.
The square also witnessed the non-stop opposition protests in 2008, which ended in unprecedented political standoff in the country, March 1 violence and loss of 10 lives.
After Serzh Sargsyan was sworn in as President in the Liberty square, while half of downtown Yerevan was cordoned off to keep the opposition away from the square, the Armenian authorities sealed it off for the opposition for 3 years. The official reason was that there was a need for building an underground parking facility, although most people speculated, that it is just a maneuver to keep the opposition away from the square.
The parking facility was opened with fanfare. Officials announced, that the building quality is amazing and that it is a superb parking facility. I’ve parked there 4-5 times. It is OK.
PS: There is a lot of symbolism attached to this square. It is pretty much regarded as the symbol of Armenia’s Liberty. And now it is cracked!
Artur Papyan
Journalist, blogger, digital security and media consultant
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How many stories is that parking garage? I also heard that the exterior of the Opera building is cracking as well — the edges of the stones are pulverizing due to the sinking of the garage.
Next time when Serj Sargsyan has his military parade/show of power/swearing of presidency after his “re-election”, he should be careful so that he doesn’t fall in that crack.
it’s not a simbol of a liberty, because the parking created in order to keep off the people from the square for some time. And the parking cracks, which means the symbol of regime cracks, not the liberty.
Well if you look at the photo and don’t know about the parking lot – then you’d think its is the square that cracked, no?
Yes, Liberty Square is an important symbol of Armenia, but the pavement cracks are a sign of either an inferior mixture of cement being used, or of construction faults beneath it. I wonder whose cement factory supplied the cement, and which construction company did the design and oversight? Any records available, or is that a state secret?
The construction was done by an Italian – Armenian company called “RENCO S.p. A.” Yerevan’s municipality had a share or something like that in it, that I can’t remember very well now and can’t find a link to a proper source
DIE SERJIK PERJIK……DIE !!!!!!!
Barbaric invaders. They would do anything to stay in power.
[…] — In what some are seeing as a symbolic event, the roof of a new parking facility (and ground of Liberty Plaza) in central Yerevan has cracked. […]
I’m eager to know, what is the reason that it cracked? Was it due to incorrect engineering, or “natural causes”? I would hate to find out we had better engineers 1500 years ago than today. Oh wait Dodi and friends were not in charge 1500 years ago.
More on the crack in Liberty square
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXxAcLU0hYI
The last time I heard an honest liberty speech on this square was 1988.
But still, I hope this crack won’t hinder an oppositional rally planned for March 1. And I hope our mayor will find enough courage to resign after everying we saw this winter.
This is politics, you know :))
Right:)
Why would the mayor resign?
The streets were in a horrible condition after the snawfall (they still are), he made a big mess of the promise to remove boutiques/kiosks from public places (moved from Abovyan to Mashtots), gave green light to dumb projects like the Noah’s ark restaurant and the addition to Government building on Republic square…
That’s a long list for such a short period he’s been a mayor, don’t you think?
Observer,
All that comes to mind is how soon this mayor made millions upon millions off of bribes for approving all this nonsense. I think it’s more obvious what the real reason is that Karen Karapetyan left.
😉 nothing unusual or unexpected from a mayor of Yerevan.