Askeran (other)
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Askeran ( hy, Ասկերան or , ; az, Əsgəran) is a town in the
Khojaly District Khojaly District ( az, Xocalı 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, Lachin, Shusha, Agdam and Khoj ...
of Azerbaijan. Prior to the 2023 Azerbaijani offensive, it was '' de facto'' in the Republic of Artsakh as the administrative centre of its
Askeran Province Askeran Province ( hy, Ասկերան) is a province of the breakaway Republic of Artsakh, ''de jure'' part of the Khojaly District of the Republic of Azerbaijan. It is in the center of Artsakh, surrounding the capital, Stepanakert. It is not ...
. It is located on the left bank of the Karkar River (Qarqarçay), approximately northeast of the regional capital,
Stepanakert / az, Xankəndi, italic=no , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = File:StepanakertCollage.jpg , imagesize = 300px , image_caption = From top left: Holy Mother ...
.


Etymology

Medieval Armenian sources attest to a settlement in the locale called ''Mayraberd'' (). The modern name ''Askeran'' () refers to the settlement's historic use from the beginning of the 18th-century as an arsenal for various military powers.


History

Askeran originally belonged to the historic territory of
Dizak Dizak (), also known as Ktish after its main stronghold, was a medieval Armenian principality in the historical province of Artsakh and later one of the five melikdoms of Karabakh, which included the southern third of Khachen (present-day Nago ...
before becoming part of the Armenian Melikdom of Varanda in the first half of the 16th-century. The Askeran fortress protected the eastern frontier of Varanda from the semi-autonomous Karabakh Khanate, which was under the suzerainty of Iran. The Askeran Fortress was built upon the foundations of the medieval Armenian village and fortress known as Mayraberd. In 1752, the '' melik'' (prince) of Varanda, Shahnazar II, made an alliance with the Karabakh khan Panah Ali Khan, who expanded the fortress to its current state. In July 1795, the Askeran fortress was captured by the forces of the Qajar shah (king)
Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar ( fa, آقا محمد خان قاجار, translit=Âqâ Mohammad Xân-e Qâjâr; 14 March 1742 – 17 June 1797), also known by his regnal name of Agha Mohammad Shah (, ), was the founder of the Qajar dynasty of Iran, rul ...
(), who attempted to restore Iranian rule in the southeastern Caucasus. During the Russo-Persian War of 1804–1813, the Russian encampment was near the fortress. In 1810, peace talks between Russia and Iran were conducted at the fortress. Restoration works on the fortress began in 2018. The fortress is situated in the southern part of the town. In the Russian Empire, Askeran was part of the
Shusha Uyezd / hy, Շուշի , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = ShushaCollection2021.jpg , image_caption = Landmarks of Shusha, from top left:Ghazanchetsots Cathedral • Yukhari Govhar ...
in the Elisabethpol Governorate. During the Soviet period, the city was the administrative center of the Askeran District, which was a part of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast in the
Azerbaijan SSR Azerbaijan ( az, Азәрбајҹан, Azərbaycan, italics=no), officially the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic (Azerbaijan SSR; az, Азәрбајҹан Совет Сосиалист Республикасы, Azərbaycan Sovet Sosialist R ...
. Askeran was the site of one of the starting points of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in 1988, the
Askeran clash The Askeran clash on 22—23 February 1988 in the town of Askeran was one of the starting points of Armenian- Azerbaijani conflict, which triggered the First Nagorno-Karabakh War. The Askeran clash was followed by the Sumgait pogroms. Backgr ...
. On 22 February 1988, a crowd of angry Azerbaijanis marched from Agdam in the direction of
Stepanakert / az, Xankəndi, italic=no , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = File:StepanakertCollage.jpg , imagesize = 300px , image_caption = From top left: Holy Mother ...
and clashed with police and local Armenians in Askeran, ending in the death of two Azerbaijanis and injuries on both sides. The town was known as an Armenian stronghold during the war. In 1991, it became the center of the
Askeran Province Askeran Province ( hy, Ասկերան) is a province of the breakaway Republic of Artsakh, ''de jure'' part of the Khojaly District of the Republic of Azerbaijan. It is in the center of Artsakh, surrounding the capital, Stepanakert. It is not ...
of the Republic of Artsakh following 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 ...
. Askeran came under Azerbaijani control on 24 September 2023, after the
2023 Azerbaijani offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh Between 19 and 20 September 2023, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale military offensive against the self-declared breakaway state of Artsakh, a move seen as a violation of the 2020 ceasefire agreement signed in the aftermath of the Second Nago ...
and the flight of the Armenian population.


Historical heritage sites

Historical heritage sites in and around Askeran include the 18th-century Askeran Fortress, the cave-shrine of ''Hatsut'' ( hy, Հացուտ), and the church of ''Surb Astvatsatsin'' ( hy, Սուրբ Աստվածածին, ) built in 2002.


Economy and culture

The population is engaged in agriculture, horticulture,
animal husbandry Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture concerned with animals that are raised for meat, fibre, milk, or other products. It includes day-to-day care, selective breeding, and the raising of livestock. Husbandry has a long history, starti ...
as well as in different state institutions and other private enterprises. The city is home to factories producing wine, brandy and non-alcoholic drinks, as well as architectural enterprises, secondary and musical schools, a house of culture, a municipal building, a kindergarten, and a hospital. The community of Askeran includes the village of Kyatuk.


Demographics

In the census of 1933, 222 people divided into 48 households were recorded in the village, all of whom were Armenians. Until 2023, Askeran was mostly populated by ethnic Armenians. with around 700 inhabitants in 1970, 1,967 inhabitants in 2005 and 2,300 inhabitants in 2015.


Climate

Askeran has a temperate and mild
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) according to the Köppen climate classification.


Gallery

Ասկերանի մայրաբերդ2.JPG, Askeran Fortress Askeran, Nagorno Karabakh (27673996583).jpg, Street in Askeran Mayraberd, castle in Askeran, Artsakh, Armenia - panoramio (4).jpg, Walls of the Askeran Fortress Askeran004.JPG, Street Askeran037.JPG, St. Astvatsatsin Church (Church of the Holy Mother of God) in Askeran, opened in 2002 Mayraberd, castle in Askeran, Artsakh, Armenia - panoramio (11).jpg, Scenery Askeran Marzadasht 26.06.2011.jpg, Askeran City Stadium District court in Askeran.jpg, District court in Askeran File:Raffikojian-askeran-3405.jpg, View of Askeran from road leading up to Kyatuk


References


Sources

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External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Askeran Cities and towns in Azerbaijan Populated places in Khojaly District