Learn More about Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic): Shushi

• 08.13.2015, 10:38
•  NKR

The liberation of Shushi by Armenian armed forces on May 9, 1992 was the first major victory in the Karabakh war. A military operation called "Wedding in the Mountains" was headed by the commander of the self-defense forces Arkady Ter-Tadevosyan.

 

Territory and Population  

Shushi region is the smallest region of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. In the north and east the region borders Askeran region, in the east and south Hadrut region, and the south and west - Kashatagh region. It occupies the territory of 381 square kilometers and includes the entire territory of NKAO Shushi region and a small part of the former Lachin region.

According to 2009 data 4,806 people live in Shushi.

 

 Sightseeings

In this small area there are 152 historical and architectural monuments, most of which in the town of Shushi.

One of the main attractions is the Shushi fortress. The walls of the fortress almost completelty preserved till our days are built at the beginning of the eighteenth century by meliks (princes) of Varanda and later by the leaders of nomadic Turkic tribes. One of the four city gates - Yelizavetpol Gate – is the only of the four gates that survived almost intact.

At the end of the XIX century for the religious needs of part of the Islam population, two mosques and prayer houses were built in Shushi.

The main architectural building of Shushi is one of the largest Armenian churches of the world  - it is the Church of the Holy Saviour, also called Kazanchetsots, with a height of about 40 meters.

The special flavor of the city is ensured by civil architecture - houses and public buildings, constructed only in Shushi architectural style. The three-storey building of the Real College is of particular interest. It is one of the most famous schools of the South Caucasus. The facilities built in the years 1901-1908, still impresses with their proportions, monumental forms, skilful combination of national and European architectural traditions.

Near Shushi one can find one of the most beautiful places in Karabakh – the Gorge of Unotand. The rocky gorge with over three kilometers and with a depth of nearly 250 meters is covered by dense forests and is a unique natural, historical and architectural complex.

However, to talk about the sights of Shusha region will take a long time - in fact there are many museums, including the open-air, natural monuments and beautiful landscapes that are "better to see once."

Come to Shushi region of the NKR . It will surely be an unforgettable tour!