Armenians of Northern Artsakh on the shore of Blue Lake

The photograph was taken in 1954. It shows Armenians of Northern Artsakh on the shore of Blue Lake (Göygöl): friends and relatives resting in the midst of nature.

A large group of women and men stand and sit in and behind a boat near the shore, with the lake and a forested mountain behind them. Some of the men wear hats, and several of the women wear floral dresses. A Russian inscription can be read on the boat: the words “Gek-Gel” and the year 1954.

For centuries Northern Artsakh was an important centre of Armenian cultural and spiritual life. This image bears witness to the peaceful times when Armenians lived and created in their homeland.