Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) travel guide

Shushi town is perched high on the rim of a valley where Stepanakert lies below. As with Stepanakert, it was once a proud town with fine houses and several mosques, but the war has left the town torn and shabby - but in a strangely appealing and interesting way. Before the war, the population was mostly Azeri and it was one of the last stronghold for Azeri troops. A few buildings have been rebuilt, including the fine white cathedral, but else the town looks like the war ended yesterday.

The capital of Artsakh, Stepanakert, has a strong post-war feeling. The streets are potholed and ramshackle apartment blocks look like brick patchwork, but the handful of shiny new or soon-to-be-finished buildings witness the coming change to Stepanakert. As in Armenia, street life is vibrant and the fine renovated central park gets packed with young and old in the evenings when the heat is loosing its suffocating grip (in summertime). There are several fairgrounds for kids and the locals never seem to be tired of walking up and down the main street. Stepanakert is one of those towns that don't seem appealing at first, but it will grow on you.

The "We Are Our Mountains" statue is Artsakh's biggest icon - ok, maybe only icon. You will see this national symbol on postcards and fridge magnets in Armenia way before you even come to Artsakh. It stands on a hill a short drive (or long walk) outside Stepanakert and was built in 1967.

Tigranakert was an old powerful Armenian city founded about 100-50 BC by King Tigran the Great. Today, there is not much left of the city besides some wall ruins and the extremely well restored Tigranakert fortress which now functions as an archaeology museum - it is very impressive if you are into ancient potsherds and such things.

Vankasar church is a tiny bleach white church perched right on the edge of a cliff high above Tigranakert fortress. The church is newly rebuilt which explains its pure white colour. The views are amazing from up here and give you a chance to look across the front line into Azerbaijan. There is a dirt road all the way up here, but you can also take the steep trail that starts down at Tigranakert.