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Martakert

Coordinates: Template:Xb_type:city(4600) 40°12′55″N 46°48′46″E / 40.21528°N 46.81278°E / 40.21528; 46.81278
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For other uses, see Martakert (disambiguation).
Martakert
Մարտակերտ
Martakert in 2002
Martakert in 2002
Martakert is located in Republic of Artsakh
Martakert
Martakert
Martakert is located in Azerbaijan
Martakert
Martakert
Coordinates: Template:Xb_type:city(4600) 40°12′55″N 46°48′46″E / 40.21528°N 46.81278°E / 40.21528; 46.81278
Country (de facto) Artsakh
 • ProvinceMartakert
Country (de jure) Azerbaijan
 • DistrictTartar
Elevation
415 m (1,362 ft)
Population
 (2015)[1]
 • Total4,600
Time zoneUTC+4 (AMT)

Martakert (Armenian: Մարտակերտ, also Mardakert, Մարդակերտ) or Aghdara (Azerbaijani: Ağdərə (listen)ⓘ) is a town de facto in the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh as the administrative capital of its Martakert Province, de jure in the Tartar District of Azerbaijan. The town has an ethnic Armenian-majority population, and also had an Armenian majority in 1989.[2] The town underwent heavy destruction by Azerbaijani forces while under their control during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War.[3]

Etymology

Traditionally the name of the town is interpreted as consisting of the elements mard ("man, person," or in this context "brave"),[4] of Persian origin,[5] and kert ("built by"), supposedly referring to the inhabitants' reputation for bravery.[4] Other explanations link the name with the word matuṛ ("chapel").[4] The Azerbaijanis refer to the settlement as Aghdara. The name is comprised of Turkic-Azerbaijani word Ağ (short, shallow) and Dərə (valley, river bed),[6] the latter is of Persian origin[7] and means small river bed or shallow valley.[6]

History

St. John the Baptist Church in Martakert

The site of the settlement was historically a part of the Melikdom of Jraberd, one of the Melikdoms of Karabakh.[8]

In 1918, a battle took place near the town between Ottoman and Armenian forces where the latter emerged victorious.[4]

During the Soviet period, Martakert was the administrative centre of the Martakert District of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast. It received the status of an urban-type settlement in 1960.

Historical heritage sites

Historical heritage sites in and around the town include tombs from the 2nd-1st millennia BC, the pre-Christian Krapasht Cemetery, the medieval village of Taza Khach (Armenian: Թազա խաչ), cemeteries from between the 17th and 19th centuries, St. John the Baptist Church built in 1883 (Armenian: Սուրբ Հովհաննու Կարապետ եկեղեցի, romanized: Surb Hovhannu Karapet Yekeghetsi,[9] possibly originating from as early as the 13th century), and a bridge across the Kusapat River from the early 20th century.[10][8]

Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

First Nagorno-Karabakh War

Main article: First Nagorno-Karabakh War

During the First Nagorno-Karabakh War (1991–94), Martakert and the surrounding district saw heavy fighting, especially during the Azerbaijani Operation Goranboy and the Mardakert and Martuni Offensives in 1992.[8] The town was captured by Azerbaijani forces on 4 July 1992, forcing Martakert's Armenian population to flee the town.[11] Martakert was heavily damaged during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War and many of its buildings remain ruined and uninhabited.[11] According to Thomas Goltz, who was in Martakert in September 1992, the town became a "a pile of rubble", noting "more intimate detritus of destroyed private lives: pots and pans, suitcases leaking sullied clothes, crushed baby strollers and even family portraits, still in shattered frames".[12] HRW later noted that harsh actions taken by Karabakh Armenian forces during and after the offensive against Agdam were seen as a revenge for the Azeri destruction of Martakert, in the context of the tit-for-tat nature of the conflict.[13] Martakert was recaptured by Armenian forces on 27 June 1993.[11] The area around the town has been controlled by Artsakh since the end of the war. Some of Martakert's natives gradually returned over the years, but many remained in Armenia, Russia, and elsewhere.[11]

Border clashes (1994–2020)

Main article: 2008 Mardakert clashes
The situation in the area after the 1994 ceasefire

The 2008 Mardakert clashes began on 4 March after the 2008 Armenian election protests. It involved the heaviest fighting between ethnic Armenian[14] and Azerbaijani forces[15] over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh[15][16] since the 1994 ceasefire after the First Nagorno-Karabakh War.

Armenian sources accused Azerbaijan of trying to take advantage of ongoing unrest in Armenia.[17] Azerbaijani sources blamed Armenia, claiming that the Armenian government was trying to divert attention from internal tensions in Armenia.[17]

In 2020, some clashes along the ceasefire lines took place near Martakert.

2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war

Main article: 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war

During the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, the town was bombed by Azerbaijani forces more than once, resulting in civilian deaths.[18][19]

Geography

The town is located on the right bank of the Tartar River, between two mountains.[4]

Economy and culture

The population mainly works in different state institutions as well as with agriculture. As of 2015, Martakert has a municipal building, a house of culture, two schools, two kindergartens, a youth centre, 88 commercial enterprises, two factories and a regional hospital.[10] The enlarged municipal community of Martakert includes the villages of Haykajur, Jraberd, Maralyan Sarov, and Levonarkh.[11]

Demographics

Year Armenians Azerbaijanis Russians Ukrainians Total
1907[4][20] Mostly Armenian 4,676
1970[21] 5,472 96.3% 135 2.4% 44 0.8% 9 0.2% 5,683
1979[22] 6,264 93.6% 349 5.2% 41 0.6% 5 0.1% 6,690
2005[23] 4,262 100% 4,262
2015[1] 4,600 100% 4,600
  • Park and monument in Martakert
    Park and monument in Martakert
  • Martakert House of Culture
    Martakert House of Culture
  • View from the town
    View from the town
  • One of the main streets in Martakert
    One of the main streets in Martakert
  • Martakert Museum
    Martakert Museum
  • Monument in Martakert
    Monument in Martakert

Climate

The climate in Martakert is classified as Humid subtropical climate (Cfa) by the Köppen climate classification.[24]

Climate data for Mardakert, Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 5.8
(42.4) 		6.6
(43.9) 		10.8
(51.4) 		18.3
(64.9) 		22.4
(72.3) 		27.0
(80.6) 		30.7
(87.3) 		29.2
(84.6) 		25.3
(77.5) 		18.4
(65.1) 		12.5
(54.5) 		8.1
(46.6) 		17.9
(64.3)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −1.7
(28.9) 		−1.0
(30.2) 		2.3
(36.1) 		8.1
(46.6) 		12.5
(54.5) 		16.7
(62.1) 		20.0
(68.0) 		19.0
(66.2) 		15.4
(59.7) 		9.7
(49.5) 		4.8
(40.6) 		0.6
(33.1) 		8.9
(48.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 15
(0.6) 		23
(0.9) 		34
(1.3) 		45
(1.8) 		71
(2.8) 		64
(2.5) 		31
(1.2) 		26
(1.0) 		27
(1.1) 		45
(1.8) 		28
(1.1) 		17
(0.7) 		426
(16.8)
Source: http://en.climate-data.org/location/21905/

Twin towns – sister cities

Partnership agreement:

  • Lebanon Bourj Hammoud, Lebanon. In May 2018, representatives of the Artsakh city of Martakert and the Lebanese town of Bourj Hammoud signed a Memorandum of Cooperation. The memorandum states that aiming at the establishment of social, economic, tourism, and cultural relations between the two towns as well as realizing that cooperation between the towns can contribute to the strengthening of regional stability and peace.[26]

References

  1. ^ a b "Figures" (PDF). stat-nkr.am. 2015.
  2. ^ Андрей Зубов. "Андрей Зубов. Карабах: Мир и Война". drugoivzgliad.com.
  3. ^ Azerbaijan: Seven Years of Conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh (PDF). Human Rights Watch/Helsinki. December 1, 1994. p. 35. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Hakobyan, Tadevos Kh.; Melik-Bakhshyan, Stepan T.; Barseghyan, Hovhannes Kh. (1986). Հայաստանի և հարակից շրջանների տեղանունների բառարան [Dictionary of toponymy of Armenia and adjacent territories] (in Armenian). Vol. 1. Yerevan: Yerevan State University Publishing House. p. 208.
  5. ^ Mert
  6. ^ a b "Ağdərə". Azərbaycan toponimlərinin ensiklopedik lüğəti. 2 cilddə [Encyclopedic Dictionary of Toponyms of Azerbaijan. In 2 volumes] (PDF) (in Azerbaijani). Vol. 1st. Baku: Şərq-Qərb. 2007. p. 24.
  7. ^ Dere
  8. ^ a b c Kiesling, Brady; Kojian, Raffi (2019). Rediscovering Armenia: An in-depth inventory of villages and monuments in Armenia and Artsakh (3rd ed.). Armeniapedia Publishing.
  9. ^ "Արայիկ Հարությունյանը հանդիպել է Մարտակերտի շրջանի վարչակազմի հետ". pastinfo.am. 2021-01-25.
  10. ^ a b Hakob Ghahramanyan. "Directory of socio-economic characteristics of NKR administrative-territorial units (2015)".
  11. ^ a b c d e Hakobyan, Tatul (27 June 2021). "Մարտակերտի ազատագրումը. հունիս 27, 1993թ" [The liberation of Martakert, June 27, 1993]. www.aniarc.am (in Armenian). ANI Armenian Research Center. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  12. ^ Thomas Goltz. In TCG-33, Institute of Current World Affairs, Hanover, New Hampshire, September 18, 1992.
  13. ^ AZERBAIJAN: Seven Years of Conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh Human Rights Watch/Helsinki. page 47, 1994
  14. ^ "Karabakh casualty toll disputed". BBC News. 2008-03-05. Archived from the original on 9 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-05.
  15. ^ a b "Fatal Armenian-Azeri border clash". BBC News. 2008-03-05. Archived from the original on 5 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-05.
  16. ^ "Armenia/Azerbaijan: Deadly Fighting Erupts In Nagorno-Karabakh". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 2008-03-04. Archived from the original on 6 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-05.
  17. ^ a b "Deadly Fighting Erupts In Nagorno-Karabakh". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. 4 March 2008. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
  18. ^ "Ադրբեջանի ռազմական ինքնաթիռը ռմբակոծել է Մարտակերտը, կա երեք զոհ. Վահրամ Պողոսյան". «Ազատ Եվրոպա/Ազատություն» ռադիոկայան (in Armenian). Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  19. ^ "Մարտակերտը ռմբակոծվում է, կիրառվում է ռազմական ավիացիա, հայտնում է ԱԻՊԾ-ն". «Ազատ Եվրոպա/Ազատություն» ռադիոկայան (in Armenian). Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  20. ^ Кавказский календарь .... на 1910 год (in Russian). Tiflis: Office of the Viceroy of the Caucasus. 1910. p. 173.
  21. ^ "Result of the Soviet census of 1970 of the Martakert district". www.ethno-kavkaz.narod.ru. Retrieved 2021-12-28.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  22. ^ "Result of the Soviet census of 1979 of the Martakert district". www.ethno-kavkaz.narod.ru. Retrieved 2021-12-28.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  23. ^ "The Results of the 2005 Census of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic" (PDF). National Statistic Service of the Republic of Artsakh.
  24. ^ "Marakert / Agdere climate: Average Temperature, weather by month, Marakert / Agdere weather averages - Climate-Data.org". en.climate-data.org. Retrieved 2021-12-25.
  25. ^ Official page of Vagarshapat city
  26. ^ "Karabakh's Martakert, Lebanon's Bourj Hammoud sign memorandum of cooperation". news.am. Retrieved 2021-12-25.
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