Azerbaijan continues to destroy the cultural monuments and villages of Artsakh
The Azerbaijani side has demolished the historic district located in the center of Stepanakert, where the houses were built at the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries. This information is available on the Monument Watch website, which monitors the cultural monuments of Artsakh.
The houses were predominantly single-story, with some being two-story, constructed with local white limestone. Due to the economic revival at the end of the 19th century, the settlement underwent significant reconstruction, built according to urban planning principles operating in Shushi. The houses in Stepanakert’s historic district bear a clear resemblance to the historic houses in Shushi, with many of them built by Armenian residents. By destroying the historical core of Stepanakert, the Azerbaijani side is erasing the Armenian past of the city, the report states.
Satellite images do not yet show the changes. However, an Azerbaijani TikTok user published a video showing an entirely transformed street.
These are not the only destructions carried out by Azerbaijan in Artsakh. By examining updated versions of Google Earth, we can see that several villages and churches in Artsakh have been completely destroyed by Azerbaijan (such as Karin Tak village, Mokhrenes village, Kanach Zham Church, St. Astvatsatsin, and others). Numerous cultural monuments have fallen victim to vandalism.
Stepanakert’s Republican Stadium has also undergone changes.
In March 2024, Azerbaijan officially announced the demolition of the Artsakh Parliament building. Later, satellite images showed that the “Armenia” Hotel and the building of the Freedom Fighters’ Union were also destroyed. Azerbaijan is constructing a new administrative building in place of the parliament.
Recent videos also show that Artsakh State University has been completely reconstructed. Changes have also been made to the nearby residential buildings.
Azerbaijan’s policy violates international humanitarian law and is considered a grave crime against humanity. According to Article 8 of the Rome Statute, the destruction of cultural heritage is classified as a war crime.