Shusha

Azerbaijan

HISTORY

The strategic position

The castle, located in a high mountain area, on the Shusha plateau, was strategically located in a very favorable area. The region where Shusha Castle was built is a hilly plateau with various reliefs and splits reminiscent of an amphitheatre when viewed from the west. Being in such an area created a great advantage for the Khanate, while the other previously built castles were easily attacked. Its position at 1,300 meters above sea level has made this place difficult to attack because of the climate and territorial conformation.

The importance of Shusha

Shusha has always been a place that other countries want to conquer, both for its magnificent territory and its strategic importance. Its strategic importance is due not only to its position, but is the result of a wise policy. The fact that it has been the official center of Karabakh for 170 years since its creation, and that it has never lost the title of the Heart of Karabakh despite all attempts, makes Shusha important for every Azerbaijani. Another important thing is that the city has always appreciated education and art. The city of Shusha stands out for being the home of world famous artists. Among them, the names of Khan Shushinsky, Khurshidbanu Natavan, Bulbul and many others.

Even the weeping of children in Shusha sounds like mugham

The proverb " Even the weeping of children in Shusha sounds like mugham" appeared in the second half of the ixx century. It is said that some visitors to the city passed by a house heard the voice of a child. One of them could not hide his surprise, said: "Bah bah, Bravo! Look at the child, it is as if he was not crying, but reading mughamat". These words, spoken by that person who was deeply familiar with music and mugham, later became a popular saying.

WHAT TO EAT

Ghirto

The people of Shusha are dedicated to the nomadic breeding of cows and sheep, for this reason most of the typical dishes of this area have as main ingredients meat or milk. For example, the Ghirto, which is made from yogurt, is one of the indispensable dishes of Shusha. This is a typical summer meal, to cool off. To prepare it you need only 2 cups of yogurt (filtered), a cup of sour cream, an onion, a bunch of mint (dried), an egg, a pinch of salt, a pinch of saffron and 1-2 tablespoons of butter (melted).

Plov

Plov, who is the king of the table, is prepared in a unique way in every region of the country, stands out for being beautiful to see as well as a complete food. " Ali-Musamma" plov, of the ancient and eternal land of Azerbaijan, as well as Karabakh and Shusha, is one of the delicious dishes of the country. It is a rich and very tasty dish that is cooked especially when a guest comes home and gathers the whole family. To cook this amazing meal you need one kilo of rice, one kilo of mutton, 2 large onions, 100 g of dried blueberries (or prunes), and some spices (salt, pepper and cinnamon).

Shusha Galya

Although it is relatively easy to engage in nomadic breeding in summer, it is quite difficult in winter. Precisely for this reason, food is indispensable to give shepherds the energy to face winter. Meat dishes give them enough energy because of their remarkable nutritional value. One of the hearty dishes is Shusha Galya. To cook this incredibly tasty dish you need 3 lamb legs, a large quince, 12 plums, 20 cooked chestnuts, a cup of cooked peas, a large and a small onion, butter, a little saffron, pomegranate juice and salt to taste.

MUST-SEE

City Centre of Shusha

Shusha is full of very ancient monuments and places that are religious or that serve as a base for people, such as carvansarai, mosques, cemeteries, baths. One of these buildings is the first Carvansarai built in the eastern part of the city. Carvansarai usually had two floors, located in the city centre. On the first floor there was an exit to the courtyard, there was also a stable, on the second floor there were guest rooms. Panahali Khan was the first who built a mosque after the construction of Shusha prophecies, the mosque was two-storey. This is a beautiful religious building.

Agha Gahraman Mirsiyab Karvansara

One of the most important features of Shusha was that it had been a commercial center. During its time, there were 10 caravanserais here. The most refined is "Agha Gahraman Mirsiyab Karvansara", which was considered the best. The doors of the caravanserai opened onto Rasta Bazar Street, one of Shusha’s shopping streets. The caravanserai was on two floors, on the first floor there were about 30 shops and on the second floor there were 25 rooms for merchants. There was also a mosque on the second floor, so it was sometimes called the "Caravanserai Mosque". This structure is considered the first of its kind in Islamic architecture.

The Vagif Mausoleum

The construction of the Vagif Mausoleum began in 1970 and was completed only in 1982, so this architectural monument is relatively recent. Citizens with the construction of the mausoleum wanted to honor the memory of the vizier of the Khanate of Karabakh, the former commoner of Mola Panah Vagif, who was a poet, astrologer and diplomat. The mausoleum was erected on his tomb, dating from the eighteenth century. In its original form, the mausoleum had a quadrangular plan and was decorated with carved marble elements. Its height is 18 meters.