Freedom Square and the St George Statue

On one side of my apartment I see the Mother of Georgia. On the opposite side, I face Freedom Square.

Freedom Square (a circle: a large cobblestoned roundabout) was formerly known as Erivan Square (actually Paskevich Yerevanski Square, after a Russian general) under Imperial Russia in the 1870s and Lenin Square during Soviet times. In the middle was a statue of Lenin, which was taken down in August 1991.

On November 23, 2006, the Freedom Monument was unveiled. It is a monument or column, commonly called the Liberty Monument or the St George Statue. St George appears on a gilded horse, slaying a dragon.

The statue, 60 metres high, can be seen from most parts of the city. It depicts St George, the Dragon Slayer, and appears on Georgia's coat of arms, representing victory over evil. It is the symbol of freedom and independence for the Georgian nation.

Yerevan Square in 1870'sDuring the Soviet period, the square accommodated a large statue to Lenin, which was symbolically torn down in August 1991. On November 23, 2006, the Liberty Monument depicting St George slaying the dragon, created by Zurab Tsereteli, was unveiled in the same place.

Branching out from this square are six streets: Rustaveli Avenue, Pushkin Street, Leselidze Street, Shalva Dadiani Street, Galaktion Street, and Leonidze Street.

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