Images show systematic erasure of Armenian cultural heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh after Azerbaijani takeover

Armenian cultural and religious monuments have always been targeted by Azerbaijan in territories under its control, but the systematic campaign of erasure of the centuries old legacy has intensified especially after the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War.

Images show the widespread destruction and desecration of Armenian churches and monuments in all areas under Azerbaijani control. The targets of the Azerbaijani vandalism include the Ghazanchetsots Cathedral of Shushi, Saint John the Baptist Church (Kanach Zham) of Shushi, Saint Sarkis Church in the village of Mokhrenis, Hadrut region, while the Holy Ascension Church in Berdzor has been converted into a mosque.

The vandalism is part of Azerbaijan’s state-sanctioned campaign aimed at destroying everything that is Armenian or distorting reality and falsely presenting the monuments as having other origins, as earlier explained by Director of the Geghard Scientific-Research Foundation, Robert Ghazaryan. 

 The campaign is the continuation of the infamous events in Nakhchivan, where the Azerbaijani authorities erased every Armenian trace: churches, cultural monuments, historic records.

The Experience Azerbaijan account has released a video on X showing the removal of the cross from the Vankasar Church located on the road leading from Stepanakert to Martakert.

Another image shows construction works in the territory of the St. Sarkis and St. Grigor churches in Karvajar region: the cross has been removed, along with stone writings of historic records. Remnants of cross-stones can’t be seen in the images.

The monument located in Andranik Street of Stepanakert has also been vandalized.

Another video shows Azerbaijanis destroying the “Armenia” hotel, as well as the Culture and Youth Palace.

A video made in Kashatagh (Lachin) region, published on social media, shows that the crosses in Zorakhach church have been removed in another attempt to distort history. The church is located 52km north from Berdzor near the village of Arakhish.

Several Azerbaijani soldiers are seen pulling down the cross in an Armenian church.

The statue of poet Khachatur Abovyan in Stepanakert has also been destroyed by Azerbaijanis.

A cross-stone monument in Aghanus, a village in Kashatagh, has been vandalized and destroyed.

Azerbaijanis destroyed the statue of Soviet Marshal Hovhannes Baghramyan in Stepanakert.

A WWII memorial and a Nagorno-Karabakh War memorial were also destroyed in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Bolshevik politician Stepan Shahumyan’s statue, as well as Alexander Miasnikian’s statue, were also destroyed.

The statue of Alex Manoogian, Armenian-American industrial engineer, businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist, has also been removed.

Soviet-Armenian Admiral Ivan Isakov’s monument has also been pulled down.

Without a strong international reaction, it is widely believed that the Azeri authorities will continue the barbaric policy.