The specialists of the Tourism Department, Government of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) discovered ruins of a church and khachkars (cross-stones) on the slope of a hill in the village of Krkzhan, to the south of Stepanakert.

The village of Krkzhan is famous for its archeological finds. Archeologists found pitchers there before, and different articles can be found during construction work now. It is noteworthy that, in his book entitled Artsakh, Archbishop Markar Barkhudaryan mentions St. Stephen Church located there. The old residents of Krkzhan told about the church, but the young ones have not seen it.

During the Soviet times the rapidly increasing Azerbaijani population in the village was ousting the Armenian elements toward Stepanakert.

The newly discovered building is evidence of Azerbaijanis’ attempts to blot out every trace of an Armenian church and cross-stones. The church was probably used as a cattle shed, and the cross-stones were broken to pieces, say the specialists.

Sergey Shahverdyan, Head of the Tourism Department, said that an archeologist will be involved in the cleaning work at the church. At present, the specialists plan to clean the 12 meters high and five meters wide church building (a limestone structure with a baptistry) as well as the cross-stones and prepare them for the 10th anniversary of the re-establishment of the Armenian Church in the NKR.