Bridge of Chanaghchudzor (Kyopri Gyoz)

The bridge of Chanaghchudzor is located near Aghbashlar Village in present-day Touz District (Zakam District of Northern Artsakh—a region that suffered deportation of its Armenian population in 1988 and has been annexed to Azerbaijan since then). The exact time of its construction remains unknown, but most probably, it was erected prior to the 17th century. The bridge was destroyed earlier than 1890, as in the same year, Sargis Kamalian found only its two piers: “Down Atti-Bulagh, on the left bank of the river is [situated] the gorge of Meharlu, at the beginning of which, several people live. Farther downwards is the gorge of Chanaghchi, on the right side of which can be seen the ruins of a bridge, with all its sections preserved except its middle part. The bridge getting destroyed, the road remained incomplete. As my companion told me, nowadays this gorge is not difficult to cross—there is a cart-road here—whereas in the years bygone, this was something absolutely impossible when the river was especially abundant in water. Opposite the ruined bridge, on the right bank [of the river], there is a watch-house called Kyopri Gyoz; downwards on the left, the gorges of Shamlut and Agh-dara lie.” __11. Yeghishe Charents Art and Literature Museum: Sargis Kamalian Fund, copy-book No. 1, VI-11, pp. 34-35 (the original in Armenian).