The history of Yerevan dates back to the 8th century BC , with the founding of the fortress of Erebuni in 782 BC by king Argishti I at the western extreme of the Ararat plain . Erebuni was " designed as a great administrative and religious centre , a fully royal capital . " By the late ancient Armenian Kingdom , new capital cities were established and Yerevan declined in importance . Under Iranian and Russian rule , it was the center of the Erivan Khanate from 1736 to 1828 and the Erivan Governorate from 1850 to 1917 , respectively . After World War I , Yerevan became the capital of the First Republic of Armenia as thousands of survivors of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire arrived in the area . The city expanded rapidly during the 20th century as Armenia became part of the Soviet Union . In a few decades , Yerevan was transformed from a provincial town within the Russian Empire to Armenia 's principal cultural , artistic , and industrial center , as well as becoming the seat of national government
Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide
Yerevan