Martakert ( hy, Մարտակերտ, also , ) or Aghdara ( az, Ağdərə ) is a town ''
de facto
''De facto'' ( ; , "in fact") describes practices that exist in reality, whether or not they are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms. It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with ''de jure'' ("by la ...
'' in the
breakaway Republic of Artsakh
Artsakh, officially the Republic of Artsakh () or the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (),, is a list of states with limited recognition, breakaway state in the South Caucasus whose territory is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan ...
as the administrative capital of its
Martakert Province
Martakert Province ( hy, Մարտակերտ) is a province of the Republic of Artsakh, ''de jure'' part of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The population is mainly Armenian. The province has 43 communities of which one is considered urban and 42 a ...
, ''
de jure
In law and government, ''de jure'' ( ; , "by law") describes practices that are legally recognized, regardless of whether the practice exists in reality. In contrast, ("in fact") describes situations that exist in reality, even if not legally ...
'' in the
Tartar District
Tartar District ( az, Tərtər rayonu) is one of the 66 districts of Azerbaijan. It is located in the west of the country and belongs to the Karabakh Economic Region. The district borders the districts of Kalbajar, Goranboy, Yevlakh, Barda, ...
of
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...
, in the disputed region of
Nagorno-Karabakh
Nagorno-Karabakh ( ) is a landlocked country, landlocked region in the Transcaucasia, South Caucasus, within the mountainous range of Karabakh, lying between Lower Karabakh and Syunik Province, Syunik, and covering the southeastern range o ...
. The town has an ethnic
Armenian
Armenian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent
** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
-majority population, and also had an Armenian majority in 1989. The town underwent heavy destruction by Azerbaijani forces while under their control during the
First Nagorno-Karabakh War
The First Nagorno-Karabakh War, referred to in Armenia as the Artsakh Liberation War ( hy, Արցախյան ազատամարտ, Artsakhyan azatamart) was an ethnic and territorial conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in th ...
.
Etymology
Traditionally the name of the town is interpreted as consisting of the elements ''mard'' ("man, person," or in this context "brave") and ''kert'' ("built by"), supposedly referring to the inhabitants' reputation for bravery.''
'' Other explanations link the name with the word ''matuṛ'' ("chapel").''
'' The Azerbaijani name for the settlement, Aghdara, translates to "white valley."
History
![Martakert, Church - panoramio](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4b/Martakert%2C_Church_-_panoramio.jpg)
The site of the settlement was historically a part of the Melikdom of Jraberd, one of the
Melikdoms of Karabakh
The Five Melikdoms of Karabakh, also known as Khamsa Melikdoms (), were Armenian feudal entities on the territory of modern Nagorno-Karabakh and neighboring lands, from the dissolution of the Principality of Khachen in the 15th century to the a ...
.
In 1918, a battle took place near the town between
Ottoman and Armenian forces where the latter emerged victorious.''
''
During the
Soviet
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
period, Martakert was the administrative centre of the
Martakert District of the
Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast
The Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO), DQMV, hy, Լեռնային Ղարաբաղի Ինքնավար Մարզ, ԼՂԻՄ was an autonomous oblast within the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic that was created on July 7, 1923. Its cap ...
. It received the status of an
urban-type settlement
Urban-type settlementrussian: посёлок городско́го ти́па, translit=posyolok gorodskogo tipa, abbreviated: russian: п.г.т., translit=p.g.t.; ua, селище міського типу, translit=selyshche mis'koho typu, ab ...
in 1960.
Historical heritage sites
Historical heritage sites in and around the town include tombs from the 2nd–1st millennia BCE, the pre-Christian Krapasht Cemetery, the medieval village of ''Taza Khach'' ( hy, Թազա խաչ), cemeteries from between the 17th and 19th centuries,
St. John the Baptist Church built in 1883 ( hy, Սուրբ Հովհաննու Կարապետ եկեղեցի, Surb Hovhannu Karapet Yekeghetsi, possibly originating from as early as the 13th century), and a bridge across the Kusapat River from the early 20th century.
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
First Nagorno-Karabakh War
During the
First Nagorno-Karabakh War
The First Nagorno-Karabakh War, referred to in Armenia as the Artsakh Liberation War ( hy, Արցախյան ազատամարտ, Artsakhyan azatamart) was an ethnic and territorial conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in th ...
(1991–94), Martakert and the surrounding district saw heavy fighting, especially during the Azerbaijani
Operation Goranboy
Operation Goranboy was a large-scale military offensive by Azerbaijan in the summer of 1992. Its aims were to take complete control of the entire territory of Nagorno-Karabakh and put a decisive end to the secessionist Nagorno-Karabakh Republic ...
and the
Mardakert and Martuni Offensives
The Mardakert and Martuni Offensives took place during the late summer and early autumn months of 1992 in fighting between Armenians and Azeris during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War.
On June 27, the Azeri offensive was launched towards the adja ...
in 1992.
The town was captured by Azerbaijani forces on 4 July 1992, forcing Martakert's Armenian population to flee the town.
Martakert was heavily damaged during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War and many of its buildings remain ruined and uninhabited.
According to Thomas Goltz, who was in Martakert in September 1992, the town became a "a pile of rubble", noting "more intimate detritus of destroyed private lives: pots and pans, suitcases leaking sullied clothes, crushed baby strollers and even family portraits, still in shattered frames". HRW later noted that harsh actions taken by Karabakh Armenian forces during and after the offensive against
Aghdam were seen as a revenge for the Azeri destruction of Martakert, in the context of the tit-for-tat nature of the conflict. Martakert was recaptured by Armenian forces on 27 June 1993.
The area around the town has been controlled by Artsakh since the end of the war. Some of Martakert's natives gradually returned over the years, but many remained in
Armenia
Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...
,
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
, and elsewhere.
Border clashes (1994–2020)
![AZ-qa-location-en](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/AZ-qa-location-en.svg)
The
2008 Mardakert clashes began on 4 March after the
2008 Armenian election protests. It involved the heaviest fighting between
ethnic Armenian
Armenians ( hy, հայեր, ''Romanization of Armenian, hayer'' ) are an ethnic group native to the Armenian highlands of Western Asia. Armenians constitute the main population of Armenia and the ''de facto'' independent Republic of Artsakh ...
and
Azerbaijani forces
over the disputed region of
Nagorno-Karabakh
Nagorno-Karabakh ( ) is a landlocked country, landlocked region in the Transcaucasia, South Caucasus, within the mountainous range of Karabakh, lying between Lower Karabakh and Syunik Province, Syunik, and covering the southeastern range o ...
since the
1994 ceasefire after the
First Nagorno-Karabakh War
The First Nagorno-Karabakh War, referred to in Armenia as the Artsakh Liberation War ( hy, Արցախյան ազատամարտ, Artsakhyan azatamart) was an ethnic and territorial conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in th ...
.
Armenian sources accused Azerbaijan of trying to take advantage of ongoing unrest in Armenia.
Azerbaijani sources blamed Armenia, claiming that the Armenian government was trying to divert attention from internal tensions in Armenia.
In
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
, some clashes along the ceasefire lines took place near Martakert.
2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war
During the
2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war
The Second Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict in 2020 that took place in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenian-occupied territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh, the surrounding territories. It was a major escalation of ...
, the town was bombed by Azerbaijani forces more than once, resulting in civilian deaths.
Geography
The town is located on the right bank of the
Tartar River
The Tartar ( az, Tərtərçay, hy, Թարթառ) is one of the tributaries of the Kura located in Azerbaijan. It passes through the districts of Kalbajar, Barda and Tartar. Parts of the river flows through the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsa ...
, between two mountains.''
''
Economy and culture
The population mainly works in different state institutions as well as with
agriculture
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...
. As of 2015, Martakert has a municipal building, a house of culture, two schools, two kindergartens, a youth centre, 88 commercial enterprises, two factories and a regional hospital.
The enlarged municipal community of Martakert includes the villages of
Haykajur,
Jraberd
Jraberd ( hy, Ջրաբերդ) or Chilabord ( az, Çiləbörd or ) is a village ''de facto'' in the Martakert Province of the breakaway Republic of Artsakh, ''de jure'' in the Tartar District of Azerbaijan, in the disputed region of Nagorno-Kara ...
,
Maralyan Sarov, and
Levonarkh.
Demographics
Notable people
*
Vagharshak Grigoryan, Soviet medical doctor and professor
Gallery
Martakert062.JPG, Park and monument in Martakert
Martakert049.JPG, Martakert House of Culture
Martakert061.JPG, View from the town
Martakert002.JPG, One of the main streets in Martakert
Martakert012.JPG, Martakert Museum
Martakert063.JPG, Monument in Martakert
Climate
The climate in Martakert is classified as
Humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
(Cfa) by the
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
.
Twin towns – sister cities
*
Vagarshapat,
Armenia
Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...
(since 2010).
Partnership agreement:
*
Bourj Hammoud
Bourj Hammoud (also spelled Burj Hammud; ar, بُرْجُ حَمُّودٍ; hy, Պուրճ Համուտ) is a town and municipality in Lebanon located north-east of the capital Beirut, in the Matn District, and is part of Greater Beirut. The t ...
,
Lebanon
Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...
. In May 2018, representatives of the Artsakh city of Martakert and the Lebanese town of Bourj Hammoud signed a Memorandum of Cooperation. The memorandum states that aiming at the establishment of social, economic, tourism, and cultural relations between the two towns as well as realizing that cooperation between the towns can contribute to the strengthening of regional stability and peace.
References
External links
World Gazetteer: Azerbaijan – World-Gazetteer.com
*
*
{{Portal bar, Geography
Azerbaijani administrative divisions of Artsakh
Cities and towns in the Republic of Artsakh
Populated places in Martakert Province
Cities and towns in Azerbaijan
Populated places in Tartar District