Spitakashen, Martuni Explained

Spitakashen
Native Name:Սպիտակաշեն
Other Name:Ağkənd
Pushpin Map:Azerbaijan#Karabakh
Pushpin Mapsize:300
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1: District
Subdivision Name1:Khojavend
Population Footnotes:[1]
Population As Of:2015
Population Total:453
Timezone:AZT
Utc Offset:+4
Coordinates:39.8233°N 47.0178°W
Elevation M:687

Spitakashen (hy|Սպիտակաշեն) or Aghkend (az|Ağkənd) is a village in the Khojavend District of Azerbaijan, in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Until 2023 it was controlled by the breakaway Republic of Artsakh. The village had an ethnic Armenian-majority population[2] until the exodus of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh following the 2023 Azerbaijani offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh.[3]

Etymology

The village's name means "white village" in both Armenian and Azerbaijani.

History

During the Soviet period, the village was a part of the Martuni District of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast.

Historical heritage sites

Historical heritage sites in and around the village include the 13th-century Holy Savior Church (hy|Սուրբ Ամենափրկիչ Եկեղեցի|Surb Amenaprkich Yekeghetsi) and a 13th-century cemetery.[1]

Economy and culture

The population is mainly engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry. As of 2015, the village has a municipal building, a house of culture, a secondary school, and a medical centre.[1]

Demographics

The village had 437 inhabitants in 2005,[4] and 453 inhabitants in 2015.[1]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Directory of socio-economic characteristics of NKR administrative-territorial units (2015). Hakob Ghahramanyan.
  2. Web site: Андрей Зубов. Карабах: Мир и Война . Андрей Зубов . drugoivzgliad.com .
  3. News: Sauer . Pjotr . 2 October 2023 . ‘It’s a ghost town’: UN arrives in Nagorno-Karabakh to find ethnic Armenians have fled . en-GB . . 9 November 2023 . 0261-3077.
  4. Web site: The Results of the 2005 Census of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. National Statistic Service of the Republic of Artsakh.