Karabakh’s cultural heritage and the Gates of Ganja: the time has come to own history
The ancient Caucasian Albanian monasteries, inscriptions, khachkars and religious manuscripts located in Karabakh were systematically altered, attributed to a different origin, or removed from the territories during the decades-long occupation period.
Fira Jalilova6 min read
Updated: September 25, 2026 7:04 pm
Karabakh’s cultural heritage does not consist only of monuments. This area is one of the geographies that has carried the traces of various religious and cultural traditions over the centuries and constitutes an important part of the Caucasus’s historical memory. Monasteries, churches, mosques, cemeteries, inscriptions, khachkars, manuscripts and archaeological finds are the material evidence of this history.
According to Azerbaijan’s position, during the occupation period in Karabakh and the surrounding districts, a number of cultural and religious heritage specimens were destroyed, altered, illegal archaeological excavations were conducted, and some items were removed from the territory. Azerbaijan’s National Commission for UNESCO and other state bodies have submitted various materials on these issues. Official information states that some bells, crosses, frescoes and manuscripts from the Khudavang Monastery were taken to Armenia, and items were also removed from the Shusha Carpet Museum.
Cultural heritage is a bigger issue than political dispute
The question of the historical-cultural context in which the Christian heritage in Karabakh was formed has been a subject of dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia for many years. The Azerbaijani side states that a number of ancient Christian monuments in the region are the heritage of Caucasian Albania and puts forward claims regarding their Armenization. Armenia and institutions related to Armenian heritage, on the contrary, claim that a number of monuments belong to Armenian Christian heritage and that a policy of “Albanization” is being pursued. These mutual claims have also been discussed at the international level.
For this reason, the issue should not be limited only to which side claims which monument. The main principle should be the scientific documentation of historical objects, research into their origin, the protection of inscriptions and artifacts, and the determination of the fate of cultural treasures that have been illegally taken to another territory.
The 1954 Hague Convention provides for the protection of cultural property during armed conflicts. Issues related to the illegal appropriation and transfer of cultural heritage are assessed within the framework of separate mechanisms of international law. The European Parliament has also emphasized the importance of resolving the issue of protecting cultural heritage in Karabakh through international mechanisms.
The heritage of Caucasian Albania must be researched separately
The historical heritage of Caucasian Albania is one of the important directions of the issue. There are numerous archaeological and religious monuments dating back to the Caucasian Albania period in the territory of Azerbaijan. UNESCO’s materials regarding the historic center of Sheki also note that the city’s ancient history extends back to the Caucasian Albania period.
In this regard, it is important that research on the Albanian heritage in Karabakh be conducted not only on the basis of political positions, but on the basis of archaeological materials, inscriptions, architectural features, manuscripts and other primary sources.
If it is confirmed by documents that any artifact was removed from the territory during the occupation period and is kept in another country, the issue of its origin, legal status and return must be investigated separately.
The Gates of Ganja are also part of this discussion
One of the notable examples in the matter of the return of cultural heritage is the Gates of Ganja.
It is noted in various sources of Azerbaijan and Georgia that the iron gates dating back to the 11th century were made in Ganja in 1063. It is stated that after the strong earthquake that occurred in Ganja in 1139, the gates were taken to Georgia and currently one of their leaves is kept in the Gelati Monastery. Georgia’s official tourism portal also confirms that the famous gates of Ganja are kept on the walls of the Gelati Monastery.
Azerbaijan’s official information notes that after 1139 the gates were taken to Georgia by the Georgian king Demetre and have been kept in the Gelati Monastery for centuries.
The Azerbaijani side has held negotiations on the issue before as well. In 2022, Azerbaijan’s former Minister of Culture Anar Karimov stated that the return of the Gates of Ganja had been placed on the agenda of the Azerbaijan-Georgia intergovernmental commission and that negotiations were ongoing.
In this regard, the issue of the Gates of Ganja is not simply the fate of a historical exhibit. What is at stake is in what form a rare specimen of material heritage reflecting the history of its native city will be passed on to future generations.
The issue of return can be resolved through mutual cooperation
Azerbaijan’s position on the protection of cultural heritage is that all religious and secular monuments located in Karabakh, regardless of their origin, must be protected. Azerbaijan’s National Commission for UNESCO states that more than 1,200 religious and cultural heritage objects in the liberated territories have been studied and work is being carried out toward their protection.
The same principle can be applied to cultural treasures of Azerbaijani origin located in other countries.
If an item whose belonging to another state’s historical heritage is substantiated by documents is kept in the territory of one country, it is possible to resolve the issue of its return on the basis of dialogue, expert discussions and international cultural heritage principles.
In this regard, conducting cooperation with Armenia on the fate of historical and religious items removed from Karabakh, mutual research of archival and museum funds, determining the origin of artifacts and, in substantiated cases, bringing the issue of their return to Azerbaijan onto the agenda could be an important step.
The same approach applies to the Gates of Ganja. The return of one of Ganja’s historical gates to its native city after centuries could become an important example of Azerbaijan-Georgia cultural dialogue.
The protection of historical heritage is not only about remembering the past. It is about protecting the right of future generations to access history. Every historical specimen, from the ancient monasteries of Karabakh to the 11th-century gates of Ganja, must be protected together with its geography, historical context and documented origin.
