Aghoghlan Gate ( az, Ağoğlan qapısı), also known as the Mukhtar Gate ( az, Muxtar qapısı) or the Shushikend Gate ( az, Şuşakənd qapısı), is one of the four entrance gates to the

Shusha fortress The Shusha fortress ( az, Şuşa qalası) or Shushi fortress ( hy, Շուշիի բերդ) is a fortress surrounding the historical centre of Shusha, also called Shushi. Newly established castle town was called "'' Panahabad fortress''" named afte ...

in the homonymous city in the Republic 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 ...

. The fortress and the city came under the control of the self-proclaimed

Republic of Artsakh Artsakh, officially the Republic of Artsakh () or the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (),, is a breakaway state in the South Caucasus whose territory is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan. Artsakh controls a part of the former ...

following the

capture of Shusha The Battle of Shusha) and by Azerbaijanis as the Occupation of Shusha ( az, Şuşanın işğalı) was the first significant military victory by Armenian forces during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War. The battle took place in the strategically ...

on 8 May 1992 until 8 November 2020 when Azerbaijani Army captured the city after a 3-day long battle.

Description

In compliance with medieval traditions in urban development of the khanate period, the walls of the Shusha castle were built with four gates: The main gate was facing north towards the road to Ganja and was therefore named

Ganja Gate Ganja Gate ( az, Gəncə qapısı, ) is one of the three main gates of the Shusha fortress in Shusha, Azerbaijan, and is located on the fortress's northern side. The other two gates are the Iravan Gate and the Aghoghlan Gate. Description In com ...

. The western gate was facing western regions, including the Iranian

Erivan Khanate The Erivan Khanate ( fa, خانات ایروان, translit=Xānāt-e Iravān; hy, Երեւանի խանութիւն, translit=Yerevani xanut'iwn; az, ایروان خانلیغی, translit=İrəvan xanlığı), also known as Chokhur-e Sa'd, was ...

, and was hence called ''

Iravan Gate The Iravan Gate or the Khalfali Gate ( az, İrəvan qapısı or ) is one of the three main gates of the Shusha fortress, located in the western part of Shusha. The other two gates are: Ganja Gate, Ganja and Aghoghlan Gate, Aghoghlan. History T ...

''. The other two gates opened to surrounding highland villages. The road from the gate of the fortress, built during the reign of

Panah Ali Khan Panah Ali Khan Javanshir (, ; 1693 – 1759 or 1763) was the founder and first ruler of the Karabakh Khanate under Persian suzerainty. Ancestry Panah Ali Khan was from the Sarijali branch of the clan of Javanshir, who with their associate clan o ...

, connected the city of

Shusha / hy, Շուշի , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = ShushaCollection2021.jpg , image_caption = Landmarks of Shusha, from top left: Ghazanchetsots Cathedral • Yukhari Govh ...

with the villages of

Shushikend Shosh ( hy, Շոշ), Shushikend ( hy, Շուշիքենդ; az, Şuşikənd) or Shushakend ( az, Şuşakənd) is a village ''de facto'' in the Askeran Province of the breakaway Republic of Artsakh, ''de jure'' in the Khojaly District of Azerbaija ...

and Mukhtar and extended to Agoghlan castle. In all Russian-language sources of the 19th century, the southern gate of the city was mentioned as ''Agoghlan Gate''. In the 19th century, the ''Shusha prison'' was built in the lower part of the fortress, near the eastern gate. During the construction of the prison, part of the castle walls and defense towers were used as prison walls. Another name of this door mentioned in the sources is ''Topkhana gate''.

References

{{Shusha State Historical and Architectural Reserve Islamic architecture Architecture in Azerbaijan Tourist attractions in Azerbaijan Infrastructure completed in 1750 Military history of Shusha Gates 18th century in Azerbaijan Karabakh Khanate 18th-century establishments in Iran