The Cascade Complex: Yerevan's art-filled stairway

· Last updated 2026-04-27

Five hundred and seventy-two steps to the best view in Yerevan

The Cascade is the kind of urban intervention that sounds unlikely on paper: a giant staircase cut into a hillside north of central Yerevan, lined with modern sculpture, housing an art collection inside its concrete belly, and culminating in a panorama over the pink rooftops of the city towards Mount Ararat. It works better than almost any comparable project in the post-Soviet world, and it has become the defining contemporary symbol of Yerevan.

Walking up (or riding the escalators inside) is an experience unlike anything else in the South Caucasus. At every level there is art: a Fernando Botero bronze cat weighing two tonnes, Lynn Chadwick’s angular figures, a Colombian stone hippopotamus, glass fountains, and outdoor terraces with cafes and bookshops. At the top, if the sky is clear, Ararat floats above the city like a fact you had to earn.

History: from Soviet ambition to American philanthropy

The Cascade was conceived in 1971 by Armenian architect Jim Torosyan as part of a plan to connect central Yerevan with the residential hilltop neighbourhoods above. The Soviet authorities approved the project; construction began but stalled repeatedly over decades due to funding gaps and the catastrophic 1988 earthquake and its aftermath. The bare concrete skeleton stood half-finished well into the 2000s, a monument to interrupted ambition.

The transformation came through an Armenian-American philanthropist named Gerard Cafesjian. Born to an Armenian immigrant family in the United States, Cafesjian had become wealthy in printing and chose to invest much of that wealth in Yerevan. Starting in the 1990s and accelerating through the 2000s, his Cafesjian Family Foundation funded the completion of the Cascade structure and filled its interior galleries with his personal art collection.

Construction of the escalator system and interior galleries finished in stages between 2002 and 2010. The Cafesjian Center for the Arts, which administers the collection, opened formally in 2009. Cafesjian died in 2013; his name and the institution are now inseparable from the Cascade.

The relationship between the Cafesjian Foundation and the Armenian state has had difficult chapters — legal disputes over property and management arose after Cafesjian’s death — but the collection itself remains and the building functions as one of Yerevan’s most-visited cultural institutions.

The outdoor sculpture garden

Even if you never step inside the building, the outdoor spaces of the Cascade are worth an hour of your time. The approach from Tamanyan Park at the base passes through a formal garden with bronze and stone sculptures of increasing scale. The largest and most photographed is Fernando Botero’s “Cat” — a massive, rounded bronze figure in Botero’s characteristically inflated style. The Colombian sculptor donated several works to the Cascade, making this one of the better outdoor Botero collections outside South America.

Other notable outdoor pieces include works by Lynn Chadwick (British sculptor, angular iron figures from the 1950s–60s), Colombian sculptor Edgar Negret, and a revolving sculpture garden at successive terrace levels. Each landing on the exterior staircase has its own set of artworks, so the climb is never visually boring.

The terraces also house several cafes and one excellent bookshop (Zangak Books, which stocks Armenian history, art, and travel titles in multiple languages). On warm evenings the Cascade terraces become an informal promenade — locals come to sit, drink coffee, and watch the sun set behind the mountains.

Inside the Cafesjian Center for the Arts

The interior galleries occupy the core of the Cascade structure, accessible via escalator from the ground-floor entrance on the north side (the base, facing the city). Admission to the galleries is paid; as of 2026, tickets are approximately 1,500–2,500 AMD depending on current exhibitions, and the escalators are free for gallery ticket-holders.

The permanent collection centres on three main bodies of work:

Glass art: An exceptional collection of studio glass from American and European artists, including Dale Chihuly-adjacent works and significant pieces from the 20th-century American art glass movement. This is among the finest public collections of studio glass outside the United States.

Modern and contemporary sculpture: The indoor galleries continue the outdoor theme with smaller bronzes, mixed-media works, and pieces specifically commissioned for the space. Several works by Armenian-American and diaspora Armenian artists appear here alongside international names.

Temporary exhibitions: The ground-floor and mid-level galleries host changing exhibitions, often featuring contemporary Armenian artists or thematic shows on Armenian history and diaspora experience. The quality varies but the space is excellent.

The Sergei Parajanov connection: The Cafesjian Center has hosted significant exhibitions relating to Sergei Parajanov, the visionary Armenian-Soviet filmmaker whose museum sits a short distance away in Yerevan. If you plan to visit the Parajanov Museum — and you should — any Parajanov exhibition at the Cascade offers useful context.

The view from the top

The summit platform, reached after 572 steps (or a series of escalator rides), sits below the Victories Monument — a Soviet-era triumphal arch dating from 1950. From here, on a clear day, the view south takes in the entire city laid out in terraces of pink stone, then the Ararat plain, and beyond it the twin volcanic cones of Masis and Sis (Mount Ararat, 5,137 m and 3,896 m respectively) dominating the horizon in Turkey.

Clear views require clear air, which Yerevan does not always have. Summer heat and dust reduce visibility on many afternoons. The best time for the Ararat view is early morning (the mountain tends to disappear into haze by midday), or after autumn rain when the air is washed clean. November and March can give extraordinary clarity.

Even without Ararat, the urban panorama is worthwhile. You can see the full arc of Yerevan’s pink rooftops, the dome of the opera house, the spike of the Matenadaran tower on its hill, and — on a clear day — the mountains of Georgia far to the north.

Practical information

Entrance: The main entrance to the interior galleries is from the base (Tamanyan Park side, on Alexander Tamanyan Street). The outdoor staircase can be accessed from any level. There is no gate on the stairs — you can walk up for free, outside only.

Opening hours: The Cafesjian Center galleries are open Tuesday–Sunday, approximately 11 am to 7 pm (hours vary by season and exhibition; check current times before visiting). The outdoor areas are accessible at all hours.

Escalators: The interior escalators run when the galleries are open. They cover the full height of the structure in around five minutes. If you want to walk up outside and ride down inside (or vice versa), this is easy to arrange — just buy a gallery ticket.

Getting there: Tamanyan Park at the Cascade base is a 10-minute walk north from Republic Square along Mashtots Avenue, or a short GG Taxi ride. Metro users: Yeritasardakan station is the closest, about 10 minutes’ walk.

Best time to visit: Summer evenings are the most atmospheric, with the terraces busy and Mount Ararat visible at sunset if the day has been clear. Early mornings offer quiet and potentially better mountain views. Avoid midday in July and August when the steps become very hot.

Accessibility: The escalators make the Cascade accessible to visitors who cannot climb 572 steps. The indoor galleries are fully accessible. The outdoor terraces have slopes between levels; some uneven surfaces on lower terraces.

Combining the Cascade with other Yerevan sights

The Cascade sits at the northern edge of Yerevan’s compact cultural centre. Combining it with other sites is easy on foot:

• Matenadaran: 15-minute walk west and uphill from the Cascade base. Armenia’s manuscript museum sits on its own hill and the two make a natural pairing for a cultural morning.
• Republic Square: 15 minutes south on foot, or a pleasant downhill walk along Tamanyan Street.
• Parajanov Museum: 20 minutes on foot to the east. The combination of the Cascade’s contemporary art collection with Parajanov’s intensely personal visual world is one of the best cultural days Yerevan offers.
• Yerevan Opera House: 8 minutes’ walk south on Mashtots Avenue. If you have tickets for an evening performance, the Cascade terrace at sunset beforehand is a near-perfect way to start.

For a ranked comparison of all Yerevan museums and how the Cascade fits against the Matenadaran, History Museum, and Parajanov Museum, see our dedicated overview.

Frequently asked questions about the Cascade Complex

Is the Cascade free?

The outdoor staircase and sculpture garden are entirely free. The indoor galleries and escalators require a ticket (around 1,500–2,500 AMD for gallery access; escalators are free with a gallery ticket).

Who founded the Cascade art collection?

Gerard Cafesjian, an Armenian-American philanthropist and businessman, funded both the completion of the Cascade structure and the art collection housed inside it through his Cafesjian Family Foundation. The collection and building are now managed by the Cafesjian Center for the Arts.

How long does it take to visit the Cascade?

Allow 45 minutes to an hour for a walk up the outdoor steps with stops at the sculpture terraces, without entering the galleries. Add another hour to 90 minutes for the interior galleries. A full visit including the view from the top, outdoor sculptures, and interior collection takes two to three hours comfortably.

Can I take photos inside the Cascade galleries?

Photography for personal use is generally permitted in the permanent collection. Some temporary exhibitions may restrict photography — check signage on arrival.

What is the Botero cat at the Cascade?

“Cat” is a large bronze sculpture by the Colombian artist Fernando Botero, known for his “inflated” figurative style in which all subjects — human, animal, or object — appear rounded and enlarged. Botero donated several works to the Cascade; the cat is the most photographed, sitting at the base of the staircase in the sculpture garden.

Is there a cafe at the Cascade?

Several. There is a cafe inside the ground-floor gallery space, a terrace cafe at mid-level, and a bookshop-cafe (Zangak) on the lower terrace. All are popular in the evening. Prices are reasonable by international standards.

What is the Victories Monument at the top?

The arch at the summit of the Cascade is a Soviet-era triumphal structure dating from 1950, dedicated to Armenian soldiers who fought in the Second World War. It is architecturally unremarkable but provides a useful orientation marker for the top platform and the Ararat viewpoint.