YEREVAN, AUGUST 1, ARMENPRESS. Shushi is one of the cities of Artsakh bearing permanent cultural values.

In line with getting introduced on the city’s history, here one can see, for instance, paintings brought from different corners of the world, unprecedented stone collection, the Holy Savior Ghazanchetsots church, the Persian mosque which is being restored, or just to talk to Shushi residents who will answer to your questions with great pleasure.

The State Museum of Fine Arts of Shushi was opened on May 9, 2013 on the 21st anniversary of the city’s liberation, and during this short period of time it has already hosted over 30.000 visitors.

Museum guide Tatev Mayilyan said the museum constantly is being upgraded with new paintings, individual exhibitions are being organized, as well as classical concerts are being held.

She informed that there is much more tourism flow to Shushi than to Stepanakert. “Although they are impressed by paintings, they are mostly interested in the city’s history”, she said.

Another unique museum of Shushi is the State Museum of Geology after Gregory Gabrieliants which operates since May 2014. Previously it has served as a Persian school, but later as a pharmacy. The works of professor Gabrieliants are placed in the museum’s entrance hall, but in the central part of the hall mineral resources of Artsakh, non-metallic and metallic resources, are presented.

The Upper mosque is located in the central part of Shushi’s muslim quarter which has been built in 1883 by a Persian architect. Currently reconstruction works are underway by the partnership of the IDeA Foundation, the Artsakh government, and the ‘Revival of eastern historical heritage’ foundation.

IDeA Foundation’s coordinator on Artsakh development programs Suren Amirbekyan informed that under the program it is expected to fully restore the mosque, improve the adjacent territory.

“The sponsor of the program is IDeA Foundation’s donor, Kazakh businessman Kairat Boranbayev. The businessman personally visited here and expressed a wish to assist. We plan to end the restoration works in autumn of the upcoming year”, he said.

And finally, St. Ghazanchetsots church is at the center of Shushi. As an architectural structure it is attractive not only by its color, but also by its unique dome and engravings.

Syuzi Muradyan

Photos by Tatev Duryan