Albanian temple in Aghkand village

In Aghkand village in Garakilsa district of Zangazur mahal

Garakilsa district – Sisian, Aghkand village – Ashotavan since 17.04.1948

Architecture

The Albanian temple in Aghkend village is currently halfdissolved and in ruins. Armenians added a cross element to the roof of the temple and presented it as an "Armenian monument".

The Albanian temple in the village of Aghkend was built in the VI-VII centuries on the peninsula by the Takhtakorpu river. White stones were mostly used in the construction of the temple, and square stones cut from white marble were placed on top of it as a facade. The roof part is made of white stones. The temple is around 10 meters long, 4.5 meters wide, and 5-6 meters high. There are 3 windows in the front part, 1 oval window on the right, left and back part. The temple was not repaired by Armenians after the deportation of Azerbaijanis. Stones torn from the roof and walls of the temple have formed small mounds at the bottom of the walls on four sides and protect the walls of the temple from completely collapsing. It is located 5-6 km south of the district center, in the lower reaches of Takhtakorpu river, which is the right tributary of Bazarchay and the left tributary of Garakilsa (Sisian) river. It is marked on the 5 verst map of the Caucasus. Azerbaijanis lived in the village until 1828. In 1828-1829, Armenians who were transferred from Khoy and Salmas provinces of Iran were settled in this village, and Azerbaijanis were forced out of their historical-ethnic lands under the pressure and attacks of Armenians.
 

The toponym was formed from the combination of the word "agh" which means "small" and the geographical nomen of the village. It is a toponym with a complex structure arising from relief. Albanian Turkic tribes lived in the area. Armenians were moved to the area in the XIX century.