Freedom Square (Georgian: თავისუფლების მოედანი, Tavisuplebis moedani, pronounced [tavɪsʊplɛbɪs mɔɛdanɪ]), formerly known as Erivan (or Erivanskaya) Square (Georgian: ერევანსკი მოედანი, Erevansk'i moedani, Russian: Эриванская площадь, Erivanskaya ploshchad) under Imperial Russia and Lenin Square under the Soviet Union, is located in the center of Tbilisi at the eastern end of Rustaveli Avenue.
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The square was originally named after Ivan Paskevich, the Count of Erivan, a Russian general who earned his title in honor of his conquest of Erivan (present-day Yerevan) for the Russian Empire. Under the Soviet Union, the square was renamed, first "Beria Square", and then "Lenin Square".[1]
Freedom Square was the site of the 1907 Tiflis bank robbery. Freedom Square has been the site of various mass demonstrations including those for Georgia's independence (from the Soviet Union), the Rose Revolution, and others. In 2005 Freedom Square was the location where U.S. President George W. Bush and Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili addressed a crowd of around 100,000 people in celebration of the 60th anniversary marking the end of World War II.
Abutting the north side of Freedom Square is a small open space with a fountain. Buried between the bust of Alexander Pushkin and the fountain is Kamo (Simon Ter-Petrossian). Kamo was once a celebrated communist, but now his grave has been paved over and is unmarked.
Tbilisi City Hall is situated on the Square. Other important venues include Bank of Georgia central branch, and Marriott International branch. The square will also accommodate Old Tbilisi local government office, the building works of which are already started. Freedom Square is also the location of the British Embassy to Georgia.
During the Soviet period, the square accommodated a large statue to Vladimir 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.