Renaissance Square, Stepanakert

Renaissance Square (Armenian: Վերածննդի հրապարակ), commonly known as Veratsnound or Revival Square^[2] or Victory Square^[3] (Azerbaijani: Zəfər meydanı) was the main square in the city of Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan.^[4] It was developed in 1994 following the Battle of Shusha and the securing of the area by the Artsakh Defense Army.

Renaissance Square

Veratsnound
National Assembly
Native name	Վերածննդի հրապարակ (Armenian)
Former name(s)	Lenin Square[1]
Type	Square
Location	Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan
Coordinates	39°49′3″N 46°45′3″E
Construction
Completion	1994; 31 years ago (1994)
Other
Known for	The central square of Stepanakert

History

Soviet era

The Presidential Palace, which was the former residence of the President of Artsakh,^[5] is the main building in the square. It is the former building of the Nagorno-Karabakh Regional Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan, having been built in the 1960s.

Artsakh era

The following landmarks and buildings were located on the square when the city was under Armenian control:^[4][6]

• Presidential Palace
• Artsakh Freedom Fighters Union Building
• National Assembly of Artsakh Building^[7][8]
• Embassy of Armenia
• Palace of Youth
• Hotel Armenia^[9]

The square commonly hosted political and social rallies,^[10] weapons exhibitions,^[11] New Year's Eve events^[12] and processions. During the Shushi Liberation Day celebrations, a military parade of the former Defence Army took place.^[13] During a visit to the capital in August 2019, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan led a mass rally on the square with chants of "Unification", which was originally chanted during the Karabakh movement in the late 80s.^[14][15]

Azerbaijani control

Azerbaijani Commandos marching past President Ilham Aliyev during a Victory Day parade on 8 November 2023.

Stepanakert came under the control of Azerbaijan on 29 September 2023, after the Azerbaijani offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh on 19–20 September 2023, which led to the dissolution of the de facto Republic of Artsakh.^{[16][17][18][19]} A Victory Day parade took place on the square in the presence of President Ilham Aliyev on 8 November 2023.^[20] In early March 2024, Azerbaijani authorities demolished the National Assembly of Artsakh building and the Artsakh Freedom Fighters Union building.^[21][22]

Gallery

• 
  Presidential Palace
• 
  Union of Artsakh Freedom Fighters building.
• 
  National Assembly building.
• 
  Ameria Bank