The city, which was occupied by Armenian forces on May 8, 1992 is located on the road to Khankendi, the region's largest city.

In general,  210 historical-cultural monuments, 30 cultural houses, 19 libraries, 8 musical schools, 7 museums, 1 gallery and 1 theater will be restored in Shuha city.

As a result of Armenian vandalism, hundreds of cultural institutions, including 927 libraries with 4.6 million books, 808 palaces of culture, clubs and other cultural institutions, 85 music and art schools were destroyed in the occupied Azerbaijani territories. 

Neartly 22 museums and museum branches, four art galleries, four theaters, two concert halls, eight parks of culture and recreation, were subjected to the Armenian vandalism. 

Over 700 historical and cultural monuments registered by the state before the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict were looted, including the 11 and 15-span Khudaferin bridges in Jabrayil, Ganjasar and Khudavend sanctuaries in Kalbajar, the mausoleum in Aghdam's Khachin Turbetli village, Azykh cave in Fuzuli as well as Shusha state historical and architectural reserve.

The Shusha Historical and Architectural Reserve was founded in 1977 at the initiative of the national leader Heydar Aliyev. 

The Reserve includes historical monuments like  the Upper and Lower Govharaga mosques, Khan gizi Natevan’s hose, Garabag khan palace, Vagif mauzoleum, Mirza Salah bey Zohrabbeyov’s residential house, Shusha kurgan, Shusha cave camp, Shusha fortress, and others.

In total, there were 549 ancient buildings in Shusha, including a total length of 1,203 meters streets laid with stone, 17 quarter springs, 17 mosques, 6 caravanserais, 3 mausoleums, 2 medrese, 2 castles, fortress walls as well as 72 important art and historic monuments, houses of state figures, and other renowned persons.