The city of Shusha was founded in 1752 by Panahali Khan of Javanshir, those days ruler of Karabakh khanate.
According to historical records, although Panahali Khan built fortresses named Bayat and Shahbulag in Agdam district in 1750 to protect against constant attacks, none of these fortresses could protect the khanate from ongoing attacks and wars.
The mountain plateau, located at an altitude of 1300-1600 meters above sea level and surrounded by steep rocks on three sides, fully met these requirements, so Panahali khan built the city there.
The city was originally named Panahabad in the honor of the founder.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Shusha became the musical center of the Caucasus. Shusha used to call "the Temple of Art of the Caucasus", "the Cradle of Azerbaijani music" and the "the Conservatory of the Caucasus". Famous Azerbaijani intellectuals and artists such as Uzeyir Hajibeyov, Bulbul, Khan Shushinsky, Firudin bey Kocharli, Abdurrahim bey Vazirov, Abdurrahim bey Hagverdiyev, Khurshidbanu Natavan, Hamida khanum Javanshir, Ahmad bey Agaoglu are originally from Shusha.
The city of Shusha is considered a resort city due to its nature and fresh air and its therapeutic value as well.
Before the occupation of the city, there were dozens of museums, several secondary and higher education institutions, schools and libraries. On May 8, 1992, the city of Shusha was occupied by the Armenian armed forces. After the occupation, the population of the city was displaced in different regions of Azerbaijan.
During the occupation of Shusha, 195 people were killed and 165 were injured. In addition, 55 people were captured or taken hostage. As a result of the occupation, about 22,000 Azerbaijani citizens were displaced.
On November 8, 2020, Shusha was liberated from the occupation of Armenian vandals by our heroic army and declared the cultural capital of Azerbaijan thanks to the determination of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev and the heroic fighting of the Azerbaijan soldiers. SHUSHA, YOU ARE FREE!
Shusha Tourist Attractions
Shusha fortress: The fortress, built by Panahali khan for defensive purposes, was built in an inaccessible and even besieged place in the Shusha lowland. The fortress was surrounded by dense forests on all sides and ended in ravines in some parts, which was considered an impassable barrier by the enemy.
The house of Khurshidbanu Natavan: The two-storey house of Khurshidbanu Natava, known as the famous Azerbaijani poet, khan gizi, is a historical and architectural monument of the XVIII century. On the first floor of the building there are seven service rooms for servants. There are three entrance gates on the south side. The door in the middle of them leads to the corridor, and the other two doors on the sides lead to the side rooms.
Museum-mausoleum of Molla Panah Vagif: The construction of the museum-mausoleum complex of the famous Azerbaijani poet Molla Panah Vagif began in 1977 on the basis of the project of architects A.V Salamzadeh and E.I Kanukov. The complex was opened in January 1982. The complex was built on the tomb of the great poet near the Cidir plain, a prominent place in Shusha. Here M.P. About 80 exhibits reflecting the life of Vagif in Shusha were also exhibited.
The house-museum of Uzeyir Hajibeyov: The house-museum of the great Azerbaijani composer Uzeyir Hajibeyov in Shusha was established in 1959. The house-museum functioned until the occupation of Shusha by Armenian invaders in 1992. Along with household items belonging to the Hajibeyov family, Uzeyir Bey's personal belongings, photos, books, books dedicated to him and donated to the museum occupied an important place in the museum's exposition.