Stepanakert City

Stepanakert, the capital of the Republic of Artsakh, is not only an administrative center but also an industrial, cultural, and educational hub of the region. Located on the eastern slopes of the Artsakh mountain range, along the banks of the Karkar River, the city has a geographically advantageous position, situated on an important highway. The total area of Stepanakert is 25.6 square kilometers. The climate is semi-arid subtropical; summers are hot and dry, while winters are mild and mostly dry, though severe cold spells can occasionally be observed. The city has ancient roots. The first settlements in this area appeared as early as the 3rd–2nd millennia BC. Archaeological excavations conducted in the 19th century uncovered valuable artifacts of material culture, some of which are preserved in the world's largest museums. Like in Yerevan, the first official city plan here was drawn up by Alexander Tamanian in 1926, which allowed Stepanakert to form as a modern urban unit, combining antiquity with the new.