Hadrut

The name Hadrut is of Persian origin, and means "between two rivers". This is explained by the fact that the older part of the settlement was located between two streams, Guney-chay and Guzey-chay. Hadrut later expanded beyond the two rivers to the east and west.[3][4]

Spitak Khach (White Cross) church in Hadrut

Surp Harutyun (Holy Resurrection) Church of Hadrut, opened in 1621

The date of Hadrut's foundation is unknown. Fragments of monuments and historical artifacts dated to pre-Christian, early Christian and medieval times have been found in and around Hadrut. There are several ruins of ancient fortresses and walls in the valley surrounding Hadrut. From medieval times until the early 19th century, Hadrut was a part of the Armenian Principality of Dizak, one of the five Melikdoms of Karabakh.[4] In the 15th and 16th century, many of the fortifications, churches and settlements around Hadrut were destroyed by Ottoman and Safavid forces as they fought for control of the South Caucasus. A small number of these structures were rebuilt under the rule of the meliks of Dizak.[4] The Melikdom of Dizak was subordinated to the Karabakh Khanate before the Russian conquest of Karabakh.

During the Russian period, Hadrut was governed as part of different administrative divisions: first as a part of Karabakh Province (1822-1840), then Shusha Uyezd of Caspian Oblast (1840-1846), Shusha Uzeyd of Shamakhi Governorate (1846-1859), Shusha Uyezd of Baku Governorate (1859-1868), Shusha Uzeyd of Elisabethpol Governorate (1868-1873) and Dzhebrail Uyezd of Elisabethpol Governorate (1873-1917) successively.

During the Soviet period, Hadrut became the centre of the Hadrut District of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast within Azerbaijan SSR. Some of the earliest activities of the Karabakh movement occurred in Hadrut, beginning with the collection of petitions in 1986 for the transfer of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast to the Armenian SSR and culminating in a demonstration of one thousand people in Hadrut in February 1988, which then spread to the capital of the NKAO, Stepanakert.[5] Following the town's capture by Armenian forces on 2 October 1992 during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, it became centre of the Hadrut Province of the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh.

During the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, heavy fighting took place in Hadrut, marked by the usage of cluster munitions by the Azerbaijani Army.[6] Azerbaijan captured Hadrut on or around 9 October 2020.[7][8] Although most of the civilian population was evacuated, Armenian authorities alleged that a number of civilians were killed in Hadrut and the surrounding area during or after the battle.[9][10][11] Following the battle, a video of an execution of two Armenian men in the town by Azerbaijani soldiers spread online, which prompted investigations.[12][13]

The town was vandalized and looted by Azerbaijani soldiers after its capture, with people's belongings strewn throughout the streets and the contents of homes upturned. The Armenian cemetery of the town's church was vandalized as well, with its gravestones having been kicked down and smashed.[14] In January 2021, as part of the reconstruction work in Hadrut, new Azerbaijani-language street signs were erected in Hadrut with new street names based on the names of fallen Azerbaijani soldiers and historical Azerbaijani personalities.[15]

The town of Hadrut had around 2,400 registered inhabitants in 1939 of which more than 90% was Armenian.[16] Hadrut also had an Armenian-majority population in 1989.[2]

The town was home to the Mika-Hadrut Winery, which produced brandy, vodka, and wine.[17]

• 
  General view of Hadrut
• 
  Scenery
• 
  Street
• 
  View of Hadrut streets
• 
  A hotel in Hadrut
• 
  Water spring in Hadrut
• 
  Playground
• 
  Hadrut regional hospital

Hadrut has a cold semi-arid climate (BSk) according to the Köppen climate classification.

When the town was under Armenian control, Hadrut was twinned with the following cities:

• Vagarshapat, Armenia (2010 - 2020)[18]
• Burbank, California, United States (2014 - 2020)[19]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hadrut.

• Hadrut at GEOnet Names Server