"Stepanakert !!!" Xankandi Sahari by jorgejuansanchez

Stepanakert is presently the capital of Nagorno Karabakh, populated by armenians.
After the independance of Azerbaijan from the Soviet Union, the city was called Stepanakert, but the azeries tried to call the town Xankandi. Then, the local people, practically all armenians, fought against the azeries untill they got the independance.
Today it has an obscure status. In fact is independent from Azerbaijan, but not completely united to Armenia.
It is very easy to get the visa in Yerevan or, after crossing the border between Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh you say to the N. K. immigrations officers that you will get it upon your arrival in Stepanakert and they will allow you to get in.
The city is nice, as is all the new country, specially Shushi and the monastery of Gandzasar.

Shushi is just half an hour by bus from Stepanakert. It is worth a visit and spend there a whole day. That is what I did.