Renaissance Square, Stepanakert
| Veratsnound | |
 National Assembly | |
| Native name | Վերածննդի հրապարակ (Armenian) |
|---|---|
| Former name(s) | Lenin Square[1] |
| Type | Square |
| Maintained by | City of Stepanakert (Khankendi) |
| Location |  Azerbaijan |
| Coordinates | 39°49′3″N 46°45′3″E / 39.81750°N 46.75083°E |
| Construction | |
| Completion | 1994 |
| Other | |
| Known for | The central square of Stepanakert |
Renaissance Square (Armenian: Վերածննդի հրապարակ), known commonly as Veratsnound or Revival Square[2] or Victory Square[3] (Azerbaijani: Zəfər meydanı) was the main square in the city of Stepanakert (Khankendi), in Karabakh, Azerbaijan.[4] It was developed in 1994 following the Battle of Shusha and the securing of the area by the Artsakh Defense Army.
History
[edit]Soviet era
[edit]The Presidential Palace, which was the former residence of the President of Artsakh,[5] is the main building in the square. It is the former building of the Nagorno-Karabakh Regional Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan, having been built in the 1960s.
Artsakh era
[edit]The following landmarks and buildings were located on the square when the city was under Armenian control:[4][6]
- Presidential Palace
- Artsakh Freedom Fighters Union Building
- National Assembly of Artsakh Building[7][8]
- Embassy of Armenia
- Palace of Youth
- Hotel Armenia[9]
The square commonly hosted political and social rallies,[10] weapons exhibitions,[11] New Year's Eve events[12] and processions. During the Shushi Liberation Day celebrations, a military parade of the former Defence Army took place.[13] During a visit to the capital in August 2019, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan led a mass rally on the square with chants of "Unification", which was originally chanted during the Karabakh movement in the late 80s.[14][15]
In Azerbaijani Karabakh
[edit]
Stepanakert came under the control of Azerbaijan on 29 September 2023, after the Azerbaijani offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh on 19–20 September 2023, which led to the dissolution of the de facto Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.[16][17][18][19] A Victory Day parade took place on the square in the presence of President Ilham Aliyev on 8 November 2023.[20] In early March 2024, Azerbaijani authorities demolished the National Assembly of Artsakh building and the Artsakh Freedom Fighters Union building.[21][22]
Gallery
[edit]-
Presidential Palace -
Union of Artsakh Freedom Fighters building. -
National Assembly building.
_17.jpg)
_12.jpg)
References
[edit]- ^ "The Soviet-era name of the square was Lenin's Square (named after communist idol - Vladimir Lenin, Russian communist revolutionary, politician and political theorist)". Retrieved 2017-01-24.
- ^ Holding, Deirdre; Allen, Tom (2018-12-12). Armenia: With Nagorno Karabagh. Bradt Travel Guides. ISBN 9781784770792.
- ^ https://azertag.az/en/xeber/central_square_of_khankendi_named_victory_square-2952497
- ^ a b "The main square of Stepanakert".
- ^ https://artsakhlib.am/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Stepanakert.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiN0dnbycPyAhWvSTABHUeRAIY4ChAWegQIAhAB&usg=AOvVaw1E0myy3ydQmlmZYiF2x9mg [dead link]
- ^ Pointon, Matthew (31 October 2017). Among Armenians. Lulu.com. ISBN 9780244043810.
- ^ "Xankendi (Stepanakert)".
- ^ Holding, Deirdre (September 2014). Armenia: With Nagorno Karabagh. Bradt Travel Guides. ISBN 9781841625553.
- ^ "About Hotel". Armenia Hotel. Retrieved 2019-06-04.
- ^ "Thousands Gather in Stepanakert to Mark 30th Anniversary of Artsakh Movement". 14 February 2018.
- ^ "Weapons' exhibition held in the Renaissance Square of Stepanakert".
- ^ https://www.aravot-en.am/2017/12/15/204817/
- ^ LLC, Academy Of Development. "Պաշտպանության բանակի զորահանդեսները | ԼՂՀ պաշտպանության նախարարության պաշտոնական կայք". nkrmil.am (in Armenian). Retrieved 2020-12-05.
- ^ "Arminfo: Pashinyan began his speech on Renaissance Square in Stepanakert with the chant of the famous conscription - Unification".
- ^ "Remarks delivered by PM Nikol Pashinyan at Renaissance Square rally in Stepanakert".
- ^ "So-called "police" of separatists, abandons weapons in Khankendi, leaves Karabakh". Trend News Agency. 29 September 2023. Archived from the original on 30 September 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
- ^ "Presidential consultant in Karabakh shares picture from Azerbaijan's Khankendi". Businesselend.com. 29 September 2023. Archived from the original on 30 September 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
- ^ "Azerbaijani police takes up serving in Khankendi". News.az. 29 September 2023. Archived from the original on 30 September 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
- ^ "Armenians describe journey to safety after fall of their homeland". The Independent. 2023-09-29. Archived from the original on 30 September 2023. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
- ^ "Military parade dedicated to 3rd anniversary of the Victory in the Patriotic War was held in city of Khanкendi". President.az. 2023-11-08. Retrieved 2024-03-05.
- ^ "Azerbaijanis Destroy Artsakh National Assembly Building". The Armenian Report. 2024-03-04. Retrieved 2024-03-05.
- ^ "Azerbaijanis destroy Karabakh parliament building". News.am. 2024-03-04. Retrieved 2024-03-05.
External links
[edit]
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