To this day Shoushi is very important, housing the beautiful Cathedral (and Bishop) of Karabakh. The Azeri population fled years ago and only the 3 mosques and numerous destroyed buildings testify to the fighting and subsequent drop in population. This was one of the few towns here with a mixed population, towns and villages tended to be more homogenous. Shoushi is unavoidable en route to Stepanakert via the Lachin corridor. The main attraction is the newly restored Cathedral, which is a pristine white, very large and attractive.
There is also the Ganach Jham Church which you can see from the Cathedral and head up to. Of the mosques, you should at least visit Verkhiya Mosque which will allow you to climb up the minarets and get a great view of the town and area, including the valley which Stepanakert lies in. Before perhaps checking out the city walls then heading down to Stepanakert is a vantage point above this town which overlooks the huge rock on one side of the mountain that Shoushi lies on top of. The view here is impressive and the rock will make any climbers mouth water. It is a very sheer rock, although at certain points it can be criss-crossed and climbed by any hiker. This rock twists around a little like a boomerang and the other end towers above Karintak village. |
