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