New Bridge of Karavaz (Khudaperin)

The new bridge of Karavaz is located over the river Arax, at the foot of Mount Diri in Kashatagh District, Republic of Artsakh (RMK), at an altitude of 246 metres above sea level. A monument of the 12th to 13th centuries, it bears traces of rebuilding carried out in subsequent periods. One of the references to the new bridge of Karavaz is found in a 16th-century document specifying the borders of the Ottoman Empire: “And their reign extended up to Khudaf[e]rin.” __11. History by Arakel Davrizhetsy. Yerevan, 1990, p. 57 (the original in Armenian). In 1817 German diplomat Moritz von Kotzebue wrote the following about the events of 1805: “…General Tsitsianov went to attack Abbas Mirza with twelve thousand men and several cannons and defeated him totally. The king [Fat Ali Shah], who was on this side of the Arax in command of a large army, retreated to the other bank of the river in all haste, and even destroyed the fine bridge of Huderapin, which is still in ruins.” __22. Hakobian, Hovh. Travel Notes, vol. 6, Yerevan, 1934, p. 520 (the original in Armenian). A record of the 1890s offers the following description for the new bridge of Karavaz: “…the lower bridge is likewise built on natural blocks of rock and has fifteen spans with piers of stone and vaults of burnt brick and mortar.” __33. Barkhutariants, M. Artsakh. Baku, 1895, p. 62 (the original in Armenian). According to the results of research implemented into the new bridge of Karavaz between 1975 and 1977, the longest of its 15 spans is 8.80 metres in length, and the shortest 5.80 metres. __14. Mamedzade, K. Building Art of Azerbaijan. Baku, 1983, p. 46 (the original in Russian).

Geographical coordinates: N 39°09°02.01,°° E 46°56°24.01.°°