Real Artsakh

The Museums of Shushi

As it is known, Shushi was an important centre of Armenian culture, but in March 1920, Turkish forces together with Azerbaijani military units looted and set fire to Shushi, the most important city of Karabakh, which at that time was the fifth largest city in the South Caucasus in terms of population. Most of Shushi's 35,000 Armenian population was exterminated, and the city was almost completely razed to the ground. 7,000 houses, a large number of churches and monuments of historical and cultural significance were destroyed or desecrated. For a long time after 1920, the ruins of Shushi reminded visitors about the real goals of Azerbaijan's policy towards Karabakh.

1992 After the liberation of Shushi, life began to settle down and the arts began to return to Shushi. New museums were opened, cultural life was revitalized.

As a result of the fall of Shushi during the 2020 Turkish-Azerbaijani aggression, the five Shushi museums and the International Sculpture Park, a number of private galleries and studios, many pieces of art were destroyed or lost. Not only works of art, but also information about them fell into the hands of the enemy.

Thanks to the efforts of the Artsakh authorities, by the end of 2022, it was possible to recover part of the information about the lost works of art. Thus, 648 works were lost from the collection of Shushi State Museum of Fine Arts, 66 works from the collection of Shushi Art Centrer, 51 works from the collection of Shushi International Sculpture Park, 168 works from the collection of Samvel Tavadyan's studio-exhibition hall, 37 works from the collection of Davit Avagimyan's studio-exhibition hall, Artak 20 works from the collection of Poghosyan's studio-exhibition hall, 36 works from the collection of the Narekatsi Art Union. In general, in 2022 as of the end, it was possible to identify 1026 works that passed into the hands of Azerbaijanis.Thanks to the efforts of the Artsakh authorities, in 2022 in the fall, it was possible to recover part of the information about the disappeared works of art. Thus, 648 works were lost from the collection of Shushi State Museum of Fine Arts, 66 works from the collection of Shushi Art Center, 51 works from the collection of Shushi International Sculpture Park, 168 works from the collection of Samvel Tavadyan's studio-exhibition hall, 37 works from the collection of Davit Avagimyan's studio-exhibition hall, 20 works from the collection of Artak Poghosyan's studio-exhibition hall, 36 works from the collection of the Narekatsi Art Union. In general, as of the end of 2022, it was possible to identify 1026 works that passed into the hands of Azerbaijanis.