The rich, historical and cultural environment of Stepanakert. The fact that there was life in the vicinity of Stepanakert, Armenians lived here much earlier, according to archeological materials, source data, the rich historical and cultural environment that still exists. Unfortunately, the vicinity of Stepanakert is very little studied. In 2012, 1.6 km north-west of Stepanakert, the ruins of a church / monastic complex / were found. Judging by the surrounding 12th century khachkars, the church existed in the 12th century. However, the nearby settlement and the early Christian cemetery prove that life here existed much earlier. And Krkjan, Kirkitjan (fortress-settlement etymologically) settlement was inhabited by Armenians until 1921. As for the name of Khankendi, it should be noted that it was originally the settlement of Hanishen, which in the Russian version was Khanishen, and the Turks turned the word “shen”(village) into a “kend”. In a word, the Armenian “Han” root has nothing to do with the “khan”.

Artsakh Monuments