Khojavand District


Khojavand district - is the administrative district of the Republic of Azerbaijan. It is located in the south - eastern part of the Karabakh Chain of Minor Caucasus. Its area is 1460 km2; the population is 12,200 (01.01.2023). The central town is the city of Khojavand. The district's territory was occupied by the Armenian armed forces on October 2, 1992. The Azerbaijani army liberated Hadrut settlement and 35 villages of Khojavand district on September 27-November 9, 2020. As a result of the military operation of Azerbaijan against the unrecognized NKR that began on September 19, 2023, Khojavand city came under control of Azerbaijani forces on 26 September 2023. On October 15, 2023 President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev raised the National Flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the city of Khojavand.
The district covers the followings: Khojavend city, Hadrut and Girmizi Bazar settlements and villages of Amiranlar; Heshan; Akhullu; Dolanlar; Bina; Garadagli; Boyuk Taghlar; Salaketin; Kuropatkino; Arpaduzu; Muganly; Jamiyyat; Agkend; Khanoba; Khojavend; Kish; Tagaser; Ghyrmyzyqaya; Adisha; Veng; Dagdoshu; Gachbayli; Sheher; Shyx Dursun; Mavas; Azykh; Zogalbulag, Aragul; Dashbashy; Mulkudere; Jilan; Bunyadly; Gavahin; Agbulag; Binederesi; Sor; Gargar; Zavadykh; Kharkhan; Bulutan; Khyrmanjyg; Malikjanly; Guneykhyrman; Guneychartar; Guzeykhyrman; Guzeychartar; Gagartsi; Garytepe; Qarakend; Shahyeri; Garakend; Yemishjan; Gunashli; Gushchular; Kendkhurd; Mushkapat; Guzumkend; Garazemi; Tug; Susanlyg; Aragut; Aghdam; Kohne Taghlar; Aghjakend; Mirikend; Avdur; Chaylaggala; Arpagedik; Petrosashen; Chyraguz; Mammaddere; Tsakuri; Yenikend; Chorakli; Edilli; Dudukchu; Agbulag; Sos; Jutju; Tagavard; Chagaduz; Zerdanashen and Khatai.
The following educational and social institutions ran its activities before the occupation: 20 secondary schools; 5 pre-school educational institutions; 20 clubs; 19 libraries; 4 hospitals; 7 other medical institutions.
Prior to the occupation, the district had many historical-archaeological and architectural monuments, including the ancient Azykh Cave (dates back to almost 1.2 million years B.C.), fortresses (l-VIII centuries), the Albanian Temple (X century), the turbeh (XIII century) and others.


Amaras Monastery Complex


The remnants of Amaras town, the episcopal centre of Caucasian Albania, are available in the village of Jutju located on the right bank of the same-named river. According to historical materials, the first Christian temple was erected in Amaras in the 4th century, and after one of the Albanian bishops’ burial this sanctuary became a place of pilgrimage. Nowadays, that grave remains in a shrine under the altar in a church of the complex. This shrine was revealed by Azerbaijani archaeologists in 1970. The Amaras monastery complex was built in the 9th century, but for the next centuries it had been repeatedly repaired and modified. The complex was remodelled to its current appearance in the 19th century.
The Amaras Monastery had a rectangular plan and round towers at its corners fortified the construction. Its patio is surrounded by the castle walls with cells, dwelling and household premises built into along their perimeter. The household part of the monastery is separated from a church court by a number of additional rooms. These rooms and premises imparting extra strength to the castle walls were built of rough stone and the archivolt – of good-hewn stones. The entrance to the monastery courtyard is at the western end of the south wall. Being the main construction of the complex, the church was raised in the middle of the court. The entrance to the church was built on the western side.


Azikh cave


Azikh is the largest karstic cave in Azerbaijan, located in Khojavand region, at a height of 900 m. There are 6 cells connected with each other. Azikh is one of those rare caves of the Palaeolithic period which started to be explored by the Azerbaijani researchers in 1960. In 1968, there was found a fragment of a lower jaw belonged to the ancient man lived 350 thousand years ago (Ashel period). This is the third found relic in the world. 10 cultural layers evidencing the ancient man’s long-term presence in Azikh cave were discovered during the excavations carried out there. Primitive people living there were engaged in collecting, hunting and fishing. There were revealed some fireplaces with a large amount of charcoal and ash remains. Azikh cave confirms that the territory of Azerbaijan was obviously human inhabited 1 million years ago.
At the present time Azikh cave is under the occupation of the Armenian Armed Forces. In that cave called presently “Azokh” by Armenians, the Archaeologists of the Armenian Academy of Sciences conduct "research", and try to prove that “the most ancient Armenian” lived there.


Taghlar Cave Camp


Taghlar cave camp is the most immense cave camp in the territory of Khojavand region relating to the Mousterian culture. The cave is very important in terms of remains of material culture, stratigraphy and long-term residence there. Taghlar cave camp is located on the left shore of the Guruchay River. Since 1963, the Paleolit archaeological expedition conducted archeological excavations in Taghlar Mousterian camp. As a result of excavations more than 7000 stone tools and more than 2000 animal bones were found there. 6 cultural layers were found out in sediments of Taghlar camp. Unlike all the other monuments existed in the entire Caucasus and the Near East, Taghlar was the only site that had a permanent settlement.


Immovable historical and cultural monuments of state importance

ARCHITECTURAL MONUMENTS

Name of the monument

Construction date

Location

Albanian temple

1170

Hadrut settlement

Albanian temple

1147

Mammadzar village

Albanian temple

1197

Tugh village

Girmizi temple

1000

Tugh village

Albanian temple

1094

Zoghalbulag village

Albanian temple

900

Tugh village, Vang territory

Albanian temple

1131

Sakuri village

Albanian temple

IV-VI cc.

Susanlik village

Albanian temple

IV-VI cc.

Susanlik village

Fortress

 

Chaylaggala village

Temple

1635

Taghaser village

Religious complex

13th c.

Sor village

Fortress

 

Sor village

Temple

1241

Boyuk Taghlar village

Albanian temple

1236

Guneychartar village

Albanian temple

995

Gavahin village

Albanian temple

4th c.

Machgalashen village

Albanian temple

701

Chorakli village

Albanian temple

8th c.

Chorakli village

Albanian temple

5th c.

Chorakli village

Church

1270

Chorakli village

Church

12th c.

Chorakli village

Amaras monastery

4th c.

Jutchu village

Temple

12th c.

Shikh Dursun village

Albanian temple

675

Taghaverd village

Fortress

3th c.

Taghaverd village

Temple of Baghir Khan

12th c.

Jamiyyat village


ARCHAEOLOGICAL MONUMENTS

Name of the monument

Construction date

Location

Nargiztapa settlement

Early and Middle Bronze Age

To the south from Khojavand city

Necropolis

Late Bronze and Early Iron Age

Dolanlar village


Immovable historical and cultural monuments of local importance

ARCHITECTURAL MONUMENTS

Name of the monument

Construction date

Location

Temple

14th c.

Dolanlar village

Temple

 

Atagud village

Mausoleum

17th c.

Khojavand settlement

Church (temple)

17th c.

Taghavard village

Temple

18th c.

Hadrut settlement

Temple

13th c.

Tugh village

Temple

1747

Tugh village

Bridge

18th c.

Near Tugh village

Agh church

17th c.

Vang village

Temple

1664

Gargar village

Temple

17th c.

Sakuri village

Temple

17th c.

Sur village

Fortress

 

Chanakhchi village

Temple

 

Khsaberd village

Temple

 

Taghaser village

Church

17th c.

Arakul village

Temple

18th c.

Domi village

Temple

19th c.

Shagah village

Temple

1896

Norashen village

Temple

 

Banazur village

Temple

19th c.

Kemrakuch village

Temple

19th c.

Gochbay village

Temple

 

Chiraguz village

Temple

 

Khirmanchig village

Temple

 

Anaku village

Temple

1698

Agjhakand village

Temple

18th c.

Zamzur village

Temple

 

Malikjanli village

Temple

 

Bulutan village

Temple

 

Edilli village

Temple

 

Dudukchu village

Temple

 

Aghbulag village

Temple

 

Tak village

Temple

18th c.

Azikh village

Temple

19th c.

Bunyadli village

Temple

 

Dashbashi village

Temple

13th c.

Dolanlar village

Lower part of mausoleum

12th-13th cc.

Dolanlar village

Albanbendi church

17th c.

Garakand village

Mausoleum

 

Khatek village


GARDEN-PARKS, MONUMENTAL AND MEMORIAL MONUMENTS

Name of the monument

Construction date

Location

Memorial monument to our citizens, who died during World War II

 

Khojavand settlement