The Armenian Report. The destruction of the Holy Mother of God Cathedral in Stepanakert also wiped out significant works of Armenian sacred art, including a set of handcrafted entrance doors created specifically for the church by artist and sculptor Robert Askaryan.
The cathedral was completely destroyed sometime between March 3 and April 2, 2026, according to satellite monitoring cited by Artsakh Cultural Heritage Ombudsman Hovik Avanesov.
Among the works lost were Askaryan’s entrance doors, which had been designed as an integral part of the cathedral rather than simply serving as an entryway. Made entirely by hand, the doors featured detailed carvings and sculptural elements drawing on Armenian Christian imagery and the country’s centuries-old artistic traditions.
The loss of the doors shows the broader cultural impact of the cathedral’s destruction. Works created specifically for the church and inseparable from its architecture disappeared along with the building, leaving no possibility of preserving them elsewhere.
Read also
Read more at the source
