The late medieval fortress of Tigranakert

The late medieval fortress of Tigranakert in Artsakh is located on the left side of the highway from Stepanakert to Martakert. It is also called “Shahbulagh Fortress” in historical sources and was built in the middle of the 18th century, in the Central Quarter of Tigranakert in Artsakh, on an artificially raised hill, near the Royal Springs (Fig. 1). The foundation of the fort is attributed to Panah Khan. He moved here in 1752 from his former residence in Bayat, an already insecure fort. There were also civil (bathhouse, market) and religious (mosque) buildings around the fortress. Of them, only the mosque has been preserved today. To create an artificial hill on which the fortress was built, a large amount of earth was dug and moved from the Central Quarter. In the first rows of the fortress walls, large-sized stones belonging to the Tigranakert church can still be seen today (Fig. 2). These rows are clearly different from the upper rows made with small-sized stones. The fortress was built with limestone and lime mortar from the Vankasar mine. The walls are 2.2-2.3 meters thick.

The late medieval fortress was rebuilt in Soviet times, resulting in the loss of its original architectural features. A kitchen area was added inside the fortress, and it was operated as a food service facility (Fig. 3). During the first Artsakh war, the western defensive wall of the fortress, along with its semi-circular tower, partially collapsed due to the bombardment. In 2010, the fortress was renovated by the Artsakh authorities, and from the same year until the tragic events of 2020, the Tigranakert Archaeological Museum operated there (Figs. 4, 5).

The first descriptions of the fortress and the drawings and extracts made by the Russian military officer Gorshkov are presented in the works of Major General Vasily Potto (Fig. 6).

The fortress is square in plan (external dimensions are 32.5×32.5 meters). The four corners of the walls are fortified with round towers. Apart from the eastern wall, there are towers with semicircular bases in the central parts of the remaining three walls. These have a semi-circular base and protrude only from the outer side of the defensive wall.

The dominant volume in the volume-spatial composition of the fortress is the two-story prism-shaped tower of the entrance with a rectangular base. The entrance tower is attached to the main structure from the south. The first, roughly square-plan (dimensions: 4.7×4.8 meters) floor is a vaulted room through which a passage is made to the fortress courtyard. This (Г-shaped) design of the entrance is typical of the fortification architecture of the time and offers greater defensive advantages due to its complexity, making penetration into the fortress more difficult. The entrance opens to a 230-square-meter courtyard, in the center of which there is a circular water basin today, built in the Soviet period (Fig. 5). To the left (southeast edge) of the entrance leading to the courtyard is a room with a rectangular plan (dimensions: 2.3×7.7 meters), which has an arched entrance on the western side of the courtyard. Another, more spacious room with a similar plan is attached to this from the south. There are also rooms in the right corner of the entrance leading to the courtyard, as well as attached rooms along the entire length of the western wall of the fortress.

On the second floor of the entrance tower, there is also a vaulted room (dimensions: 5.2×5.9 meters), which is lit by a pair of windows on the west (courtyard side) and south (above the fortress entrance). Stairs attached to the entrance tower lead from the courtyard to the second floor. It is assumed that this floor was once occupied by Panah Khan. Today, there is also a possibility of climbing from the courtyard to the defense platform of the wall using the steps attached to the defensive wall from the north side.

The walls and towers of the fortress taper upwards and have a battlement. The height of the walls is 7.0 meters, and the towers are 8.0 meters. Narrow embrasures for defense are built around the perimeter of the fortress. All towers, except the entrance tower, have approximately the same dimensions and are solidly lined. There are holes in the western defensive wall, as well as in its corner towers on the south and north sides, which are believed to have been intended for the supply of munitions.

During the Soviet period, at the end of the 20th century, Azerbaijanis restored this fortress, significantly distorting its original appearance. The combination with the drawing and measurements made by the Russian military officer Gorshkov shows that the previously smooth-carved, large stones were replaced by small limestones. Additionally, the number of inner rooms adjacent to the walls increased. The stairs leading to the second floor have undergone changes. The entrance to the first floor leading to the courtyard was made narrower for defense reasons. In its original form, the courtyard did not have a pool.

Shahbulagh Fortress, with its square layout, round corner towers, and rooms arranged around the inner courtyard perimeter, originates from the 18th-century mansion-fortress of the Armenian Meliks of Artsakh (Horekavan, Gyulatagh, and Shushi). It is their larger version. According to historical accounts, Panah mainly recruited Armenian craftsmen for the construction of this fortress. Tigranakert-Shahbulagh fortress, however, differs in its location. It was built on a plain (on an artificially formed hill), which is not characteristic of similar complexes. The main reason for this was the presence of the Royal Springs, which is why it was better known as the Shahbulagh Fort. The plan and architectural structure of the fortress reveal parallels with the architectural design of the caravansaries, especially in terms of their courtyards. These complexes, built at important strategic road junctions, were also built with thick, high, circular, and semi-circular towers for defensive reasons.

As a result of the 44-day Artsakh war, the ancient site of Tigranakert came under the control of Azerbaijan. In January 2022, the Azerbaijani side developed a special tourist package, one of the destinations of which is the Shahbulagh Fortress, built by Panah in the mid-18th century in the place of Tigranakert in Artsakh. During these visits and filming, the Shahbulagh Fortress is presented as an important symbol of Azerbaijani identity, presence, state history in the territory of Karabakh, and the first residence of Panah Khan. In this domain, distorting history, the Karabakh Khanate is presented as one of the manifestations of “Azerbaijani statehood.”