Shusha is one of the most beautiful cities of Azerbaijan. The name of "Shusha" means glass being symbolizing pure, remarkable transparent mountain air. The nature had gifted Shusha by unique rills and mineral waters. Among them Turshsu, Isa bulag, Sakina-bulag, Isti-bulag, Soyug-bulag, Charikh-bulag, Cakhsi-bulag, Yuz-bulag and others. Shusha is engirded from both sides with powerful fortress wall. The city by its birth is obliged to emerging and rise of puissance of Garabag khanate. With a view of foreign invaders the Governor of Panahali-khan's khanate constructed serious of fortresses, particulary, Bayat and Shakhbulag, had strengthened Askeran fortress. However, that was not enough. Khan with all this yard several during years he lived in fortress of bayat and Shakhbulag, and soon, in 1756-1757 years he erected the fortress of which had been called Panahabad, and a few later-as per name of around laying villaGE - Shusha. Among people, that fortress had been already known under the name "Gala". City-fortress for many years was capital of Azerbaijan Garabag khanate. Starting from the second half of XVIII century, the city population intensively commences to rise up and Shusha is converted in one of the considerable cities of Azerbaijan. Being still in term of Panahali khan, in the city there were sufficient amount of constructional works had been run. The city had been well - equipped and become flourished. In 80 years around the city there are being emerged numerous handicrafts quarters. Especially trading is rising up. Shusha merchants were in commercial links with Tebriz, Tehran, Isfahan, Moscow and other cities. In the city there were coined - panabadi (panahabadi). By its picturesque sight having been allocated highly in mountains Shusha caused admiration and surprising among travelers. Painter Vereshagin wrote: "Its houses are correct, beautiful, high and illuminated by splendid numerous windows. The city was made of rock taken from bluffs on which it is allocated. Streets are paved everywhere with wide plates, roofs were made of cutting". Main Street - Rasta bazaar constructed with trading rows and craftsmen workshops. Covered galleries, framed with stoned columns, formed the architecture of the street. Singularity of Shusha trading center is added by being adjacent to its roadway, with sufficient large marketing squares. Main square is Meydan, stretched out alongside the axis of Rasta - Bazaar, and overbuild by religion and trading constructions, rows of one - floor counters, by two-story caravanserai and expressive cathedral mosque with two minarets. Living houses of Mehmandarov brothers and dwelling house allocated on Fizuli street, are bungalows of the most prosperous part of population, an interior forming of which might create an atmosphere of the eastern living house. All who once visited Shusha definitely came here in the place of "Jidir-duzu" (field of horse-race) on edge of head rounded fall of Dashalti and the well-known abrupt stair "girkh pillakan" (forty steps), leading to Dashalti River. There not far, you might find out "Khazina-Gala" cave (fortress of treasures). Shusha is homeland of many outstanding azeries. Among them are singers - Jabbar Garyagdi oglu, Gurban Pirimov, Bul-Bul, Seid Shushinski, Khan Shushinski, Rashid Behbudov, eminent composer Uzeir Hajibeyov, his brother Zulfugar Hajibeyov, their nephew Soltan Hajibeyov, Niyazi, Fikret Amirov, Suleyman Aleskerov and many others, talent of which gave to Shusha the name - "Conservatory of the East". In Shusha there were born writers N.Vezirov, A.Agverdiyev, S.Akhundov, the well known poetess Khurshid-banu Natavan, poet Gasumbey Zakir, sculptors and painters J.Garyagdi, T.Narimanbeyov and others. In Shusha, there were existed 170 buildings - memorials of architecture and 160 monuments of art of the past. Among them "Ganja gates", wall fortress, Ibrahim-khan castles and his daughters Gara-Beyuk-khanum, imaret of Garabag khans, house-museum Natavan, house of artillery general Mehmandarov, participant of defense of Port-Arthur, house of poet and painter Mir Mokhsun Navvab, house-museum of eminent composer Uzeir Hajibeyov, house-museum of wonderful singer Bul-Bul, mausoleum of Vagif poet. Not far from Shusha at height of 900 meters, it was allocated Khankendi town. First, this locality under name of Verende is reminded in written sources referred to IX century. that name has been taken from the name of Turk speaking tribe, habituated in those places. In the end of XVIII century - beginning of XIX century here by Mehdi-Gulu-khan (son of Panahali-khan) was constructed settlement named Khankendi (Khan village). Later on, that village he gifted to his wife Perijan Begim. Palace of khan did not stored and time erased his traces. There were left, being belonged to Mehdi-khan Khan-bagi (khan forest) and Khan-bulagi (khan rill). In 1923 Khankendi had been renamed into Stepanakert. The name had been recovered to the town following establishment of independence of Azerbaijan.