Lachin district is the administrative district of the Republic of Azerbaijan. It is located in the south-western part of the Minor Caucasus. It neighbors with the Republic of Armenia in the west. Its area is 1840 km²; the population is 75,000 (01.01.2023). The central town is the city of Lachin. The district's territory was occupied by the Armenian army on May 18,1992 and was returned to Azerbaijan on December 1, 2020. On August 26, 2022 the city of Lachin, the villages of Zabukh and Sus, which were under the control of the Russian peacekeeping contingent and were illegally settled by Armenians, were returned to Azerbaijan.
The district covers the followings: Lachin city, Gayghi settlement and villages оf Aghbulag, Alkhasli, Ahmadli, Hajilar, Gulabird, Jagazur, Gushchu, Minkend, Mirik, Mishni, Sadinlar, Sheylanli Aghjakend, Ardushlu, Aghjayazi, Ashaghi Farajan, Farajan, Bozlu, Galaja, Bulunduz, Ayibazar, Birinji Ipek, Vagazin, Bozguney, Kalafalig, Hajikhanli, Govushug, Budagdere, Hojaz, Mollalar, Uluduz, Avazlar, Dashli, Valibayli, Narishlar, Hetemler, Kaha, Jijimli, Ashaghi Jijimli, Gazidere, Zabukh, Sus, Ghizilja, Baylik, Irchan, Chambarakhach, Khumarta, Garabayli, Lolabaghirli, Korchabulag, Zerti, Khirmanlar, Aghbulag, Birinji Tighik, Ikinji Tighik, Garigishlag, Soyugbulag, Ghilichli, Zeyve, Kohnekend, Gishlag, Eyrek, Alijan, Gozlu, Finghe, Gorchu, Zagalti, Goshasu, Alpout, Butovluk, Kurdhaji, Arikli, Hajisamli, Garasaggal, Kamalli, Chiragli, Garakechdi, Katos, Malkhalaf, Mazutlu, Malikpeye, Malibay, Aghoglan, Husulu, Ziyrik, Mighidere, Dayirmanyani, Tarkhanli, Dayhan, Baldirganli, Oghuldere, Aghalarushaghi, Pirjahan, Seyidler, Garachanli, Pichenis, Khachinali, Kohne Jorman, Sonasar, Mayis, Tezekend, Hagnezer, Erdeshevi, Safiyan, Khanalilar, Suarasi, Turkler, Farrash, Nureddin, Fatalipeye, Aganus, Unannovlu, Arab, Turshsu, Shelve, Imanlar, Dambulag, Shamkend, Elekchi, Bozdogan, Chorman, Nagdali.
The following educational and social institutions were providing its services before the occupation: 101 secondary schools, 2 pre-school and 5 out-school educational institutions, 1 vocational school, 85 clubs, 119 libraries, 5 musical schools and 142 healthcare institutions. The region had also the architectural monuments such as the Albanian temple (5ht century), turbehs (14th, 19th centuries), the fortress (17th century), the mosque (1718), the palace (1716), the bridge (18th century) and others.

Aghoghlan Temple

Aghoghlan temple is set in two acres of land at the 30th kilometer of Lachin-Minkend highway, on the right bank of the river Hekeri, near Kosalar village. Aghoghlan Temple is Albanian monastery built in the 5th-6th centuries. As the monument was exposed to avalanches and destructions at different times, it was rebuilt in the style of church and adapted to monastery. The first foundation of the monument was preserved in its initial form during repairs; the new walls were built over the old ones. After restoration, Aghoghlan temple had become one of the most spectacular monuments of the Albanian period architecture of the Azerbaijani history. The temple is 25 meters long and 12.5 meters wide. Two rows of the square-shaped eight bearing piles – pylons divided the inner side of the building into three parts.
Armenians made illegal changes in architectural style and the interior of Aghoghlan monastery, completely wiped out the inscriptions on the walls of the monument, as well as a large number of ornaments and symbols reflecting the Albanian period or greatly changed them. In 2006, under the pretext of repairing the monument for the second time, the Armenians placed in different parts of the walls 26 boards with inscriptions indicating belongingness of the monument to the Armenian Apostolic Church: 2 tombstones were erected in the right side of the courtyard and 2 stone crosses made of red basalt stone from Irevan were erected in front of the entrance door by Armenians. After the occupation the Armenians renamed the Aghoghlan temple “Jijernavank”.

Hamza Soltan Palace

The palace is situated in Husulu village of Lachin district. The Hamza Soltan Palace is supposed to be built in 1761. From the general view of the palace it becomes clear that, the castle had a tall tower. There was an entrance door in the corner of the south side of the castle. The two-storeyed palace has beautiful arched ceilings fastened to the thick side walls. The palace also has a large hall, a number of auxiliary rooms and a court-house. Delicately embellished door and windows of the palace are made of the walnut wood. Eastern architectural traditions were widely used in the building of the palace. Most probably the sultanate was established here in 1700 and governed a large part of Zangezur region. The palace building was constructed of local stone and construction lime. During the occupation years, the village was renamed Melikatun and the invaders made use of the repaired Hamza Soltan Palace as a guest house or a hotel for tourists.

Jijimli Village Tombs

Two tombs rise close within a shrine near Jijimli village. Malik Ajdar Tomb, traditionally considered the oldest one, is circular inside and octagonal outside.
The right-angle opening of the tomb, the front door is in the northern side. The top of the door frame is covered with a pointed-beam-like architrave stone. Inside its edge, remains of a rider’s hewn picture are observed. A number of the site’s details are the same as those of tombs in Damirchilar village of Gubadli region. There are no construction inscriptions and carved surfaces on the tombs. The researchers supposedly date the Jijimli tomb from the 12th-13th centuries. The late 13th century, in the reign of Elkhanids, seems more convincing as the construction time.
Popularly called the “Deaf Dome”, the other Jijimli tomb is cruciform inside and square outside. It is supposed to have been constructed in the 17th century.

Lachin History and Ethnography Museum

Lachin History and Ethnography Museum functioned from 1974 to May, 1992. The museum was rich with the exhibits of high artistic and historical significance.
The museum building was considered as a historical and cultural monument. Total area of museum was over 1200 sq. meters. The museum consisted of 24 rooms, 1 exhibition hall and a museum collection of 72 sq. meters. Plastic works of art, carvings, statues of horse and ram and very many household items made in different centuries were exhibited in the courtyard of museum. From 1983 to 1992, large-scale expositions were held in museum. More than 5 thousand exhibits were collected in the main fund of museum. A total of about 10 thousand items existed in the museum. Lachin History and Ethnography Museum was a contest winner of the All-Union competition of museums held in 1989. The museum exhibits could not be salvaged during the occupation of Lachin region by the Armenian Armed Forces in May, 1992. The museum complex was completely destroyed and razed to the ground by Armenian vandals during the occupation.

Memorial Museum of Sari Ashig

In 1988, the memorial museum of the bayati(a kind of Azerbaijani poem created by people) master Sari Ashig lived in the 12th century, was opened in Gulabird village of Lachin region. At that time, a total of 150 items reminiscent of Sari Ashig were handed over to the museum. The monument of Sari Ashig was erected there.
As a result of the occupation of Lachin district by the Armenian Armed Forces in 1992, the museum building and nearly 200 exhibits were destroyed and plundered.

Immovable historical and cultural monuments of state importance

ARCHITECTURAL MONUMENTS

Name of the monument	Construction date	Location
Temple	19th c.	On the shore of Aghoghlan river
Mausoleum of Malikajdar	14th c.	Jijimli village
Mausoleum	17th-18th cc.	Jijimli village

ARCHAEOLOGICAL MONUMENTS

Name of the monument	Construction date	Location
Stone box	The Iron Age	Abdallar village, between village and cemetery
Barrow	The Iron Age	Jijimli village
Barrow (maiden grave)	The Iron Age	Jijimli village
Barrow	The Iron Age	Jijimli village
Barrow	The Iron Age	Ziyrik village
Barrow	The Iron Age	Gochaz village
Barrow	The Iron Age	Gulabird village
Cave temple	5th c.	Gochaz village

Immovable historical and cultural monuments of local importance