Heritage of the Gadrut district or what we lost

During the Second Artsakh War, a large part of the territory of Artsakh with its cultural and natural resources was transferred under the control of the enemy. As it often happens among the Armenian people, interest in their ancestral territories is taken after the loss of the latter: a large number of articles have appeared in the Armenian segment of the Internet on the topic of the historical and cultural heritage of different regions of Artsakh.

One of such previously unexplored areas is Hadrut. This article will give the reader the opportunity to form a fairly accurate perception of ​​the scale of the loss we incurred in one Hadrut region only, which is an integral part of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), but which, according to the infamous treaty, also fell to the enemy.

Map of the Artsakh Republic before the war and the location of the Hadrut region  

For centuries Hadrut was known under the name Dizak; this was the name of the Dizak principality, on the territory of which the region was located in 1590-1751. It is important to note that the Hadrut region was never inhabited by the Turks, and even in Soviet times they were counted towards an insignificant percentage there. According to the 1926 census, 25,247 people lived in the Hadrut region, of which 24,685 (97.7%) are Armenians. Now these people have more than 100 thousand descendants who are currently refugees.

Hadrut has always been inhabited by Armenians

The region was part of the province of Artsakh of Greater Armenia until 387, from 387 to 640 – was a part of the vassal Armenian principality under the rule of Caucasian Albania, from 640 to 880 was a part of the Emirate of Armenian (Arminiya), from 880 to1047 was a part of the Armenian (Bagratid) Kingdom of Ani, from 1047 to 1201 – was a part of the Armenian Khajin (Khachen) principality, from 1201 to 1380 – was included in the Armenian principality of the Zakaryans (Zakarid Armenia), in 1380-1590 it was again part of the Armenian Khajin principality.

What have we lost?

Hadrut region is an open-air museum with its natural landscape and cultural heritage. The region is famous for a number of monastic complexes and churches, old settlements and fortresses, there are mountain ranges covered with dark forests and alpine meadows in the north and north-west of the region. The list of lost cultural sights is very extensive, below we will include a list of Christian sights only. There are 90 churches, monasteries and chapels built in the period from IV to XIX centuries in 34 settlements of Hadrut region.

Some of the most famous sights of the Hadrut region:

List of churches in Hadrut region, which were under the occupation of Azerbaijan

CITY of HADRUT • Saint Harutyun Church (1621) • Chapel (1325)

VILLAGE of ARAKEL • Saint Mariam Church (1902) • Saint Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) Church (1845)

VILLAGE of AYGESTAN • Saint Harutyun Church (1741)

VILLAGE of DRAKHTIK • Saint Grigor Narekatsi Church (1645)

VILLAGE of TAGHASER • Saint Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) Church (1657) • Anapat Church (1635)

VILLAGE of TAGHUT • Saint Hovhannes Church (1896)

VILLAGE of KHANDZADZOR • Kataravank Church (1657) • Saint Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) Church (1853) • Saint Hovhannes Church (1876)

VILLAGE of KHTSABERD • Yeghtsun Dzor Church (1534) • Teghin Saint Chapel (9th century)

VILLAGE of TSAKURI • Ptkatagh Church (1670) • Tsaghkavank Church (1682) • Ptkatagh Chapel (1623)

VILLAGE of TSAMDZOR • Saint Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) Church (1696) • Kene Chapel (1645)

VILLAGE of TSAGHKAVANK • Saint Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) Church (1836) • Chapel (1887)

VILLAGE of KARYAGINO (VARANDA) • Pagan temple (I-II century BC) • Chapel (1615)

VILLAGE of HIN TEGHER • Amenaprkich Church (Holy Saviour’s Church) (1815) • Chapel (1578)

VILLAGE of HAKAKU • Saint Astvatsatsin (Holy Mother of God) Church (1621) • Sev Khach Chapel (9th century)

VILLAGE of HOGHER • Hogher Church (1718) • Chapel (1887)

VILLAGE of HAYKAVAN • Chapel (IX century)

VILLAGE of MOKHRENES • Saint Sarkis Church (1840) • Okhta Drni (Seven Doors) Monastery (375 – 678) • Okhta Drni (Seven Doors) Church (875-948) • Chapel (935-1115) • Chapel (1810)

VILLAGE of METZ TAGHER • Marakhatun Church (1603) • Chapel (1735) • Amenaprkich Church (Holy Saviour’s Church) (1846) • Chapel (1855) • Chapel (1238)

VILLAGE of MARIAMADZOR • Saint Hovhannes Monastery (9-11 centuries) • Sorb Chapel (1735) • Saint Minas Church (1601) • Chapel (1675)

VILLAGE of MELIKASHEN • Saint Harutyun Church (1889) • Chapel (1735)

VILLAGE of NORASHEN • Hin Norashen Church (1892)

VILLAGE of PLETANTS • Saint Stepanos Church (1651)

VILLAGE of JRAKUS • Kavakavank Church (1742) • Saint Stepanos Church (1648) • Chapel (1876)

VILLAGE of SARISHEN • Saint Astvatsatsin Church (1822) • Shahkakh Church (1868) • Hin Shahkakh Church (1715) • Shalakh Chapel (1635) • Chapel (1875)

VILLAGE of VANK • Spitak Khach Monastery (1245) • Chapel (1615) • Chapel (1648) • Chapel (1694) • Chapel (1841)

VILLAGE of VARDASHAT • Saint Hripsime Church (1607)

VILLAGE of TOGH • Saint Hovhannes Church (1736) • Anapat Church (1810) • Anapat Chapel (1821) • Saint Stepanos Church (1747) • Chapel (1115) • Tezh Church (1234) • Gtchavank Monastery (9th century) • Gavit (1260) • Yerkrord Church (1370) • Chapel (1657) • Chapel (1698)

VILLAGE of TUMIH • Saint Hovhannes Church (1655) • Karmir Khach Church (10th century) • Chapel (9th century) • Khuta Dre Monastery (9-12th centuries) • Tagavori Gerezman Church (1175) • Yeghtsu Khut Chapel (1231)

VILLAGE of TYAK • Saint Mesrop Church (1811) • Chapel (1805) • Chapel (1877)

VILLAGE of TSOR • Saint Amenaprkich Church (Holy Saviour’s Church) (1658) • Saint Lusavorich-Anapat Church (1210) • Chapel (1273) • Khoraberd Church (4th century)

VILLAGE of UKHTADZOR • Saint Astvatsatsin Church (1692)

VILLAGE of QARING • Yeghtsun Dzor Church (11-12 centuries) • Chapel (1667)

VILLAGE of KARAGLUKH • Saint Astvatsatsin Church (1855) • Chapel (1867)

VILLAGE of KYURATAKH • Saint Astvatsatsin Church (1743)

Sources: armat.im, lragir.am

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