#60 ARTSAKH (NAGORN-KARABAKH REPUBLIC)

Ever since watching the BBC documentary series "Holidays in the Danger Zone," I've been obsessed with traveling to off-the-grid countries that don't really exist (and show host Ben Anderson, too!). The Caucuses are home to several of these, including the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, also known locally as Artsakh! Before describing my travels, here's a little blurb from Wikipedia about the political situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic:

"The predominantly Armenian-populated region of Nagorno-Karabakh was claimed by both the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and the First Republic of Armenia when both countries became independent in 1918. After the Soviet Union established control over the area, it created the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO) within the Azerbaijan SSR in 1923. In the final years of the Soviet Union, the region re-emerged as a source of dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan. In 1991, a referendum held in the NKAO and the neighboring Shahumian region resulted in a declaration of independence. Large-scale ethnic conflict led to the 1991–1994 Nagorno-Karabakh War, which ended with a ceasefire that left the current borders.

In 2020, a new war erupted in Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding territories, which saw both the armed forces of Azerbaijan and Armenia report military and civilian casualties. Azerbaijan made significant gains during the war, regaining most of the occupied territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh and large parts of Nagorno-Karabakh, including the culturally significant city of Shusha. The war ended on 10 November 2020, when a trilateral ceasefire agreement was signed between Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russia, which forced Armenia to return all the remaining occupied territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh.

On 19 September 2023, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale military offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh, resulting in an Azerbaijani victory, the disarmament of the forces of the Republic of Artsakh, and the exodus of Armenians from the region. The Republic of Artsakh subsequently agreed to dissolve itself by 1 January 2024. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Nagorno-Karabakh)"

Flags of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabagh Republic flying together at the overland border crossing

My entry visa to the Nagorno-Karabagh Republic, 2014

Artsakh National Liberation Monument, Stepanakert

Stepanakert

Zoran and I traveled to Nagorno-Karabakh in 2014 after touring with friends through neighboring Georgia and Armenia. From Goris, we traveled overland through the Lachin Corridor until we reached a small border post in the mountains where the flags of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabh flew side-by-side. We were permitted entry and headed to the capital city of Stepanakert, but first, we stopped in the culturally significant town of Shusha. Here, we visited Ghazanchetsots Cathedral, which was built in the late 1800s and is the cathedra of the Diocese of Artsakh of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Ghazanchetsots Cathedral, Shusha

Walking around downtown Stepanakert, we were impressed by how nice the town looked, especially considering it was an unrecognized territory. Our first stop was the local office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to have our visas officially stamped into our passports and to check into our room at the stylish Europe Hotel. We also found a lovely restaurant and dined on a selection of local cured meats, crispy Chicken Kiev, and juicy pork chops.

With our bellies full, we continued sightseeing for the day. At the Museum of Fallen Soldiers, we saw posters of fighters and tanks - in Armenian, Russian, and English - documenting the hardships faced by Armenians and calling for international recognition of the country's legitimacy. The abandoned tanks on the hills overseeing the town also served as a reminder of the decades of conflict that have shaped the region's history and would continue to spill over for years to come.