Iravan Gates
The Iravan Gates or the Khalfali Gates ( və ya Xəlfəli qapısı) is one of the three main gates of the Shusha fortress being located in the western part. The other two gates are: Ganja and Aghoghlan. History. The Shusha fortress had three main gates: Ganja, Iravan and Aghoghlan. The names of these gates are often mentioned in historical sources, and are also indicated on all general plans of the city drawn up in the 19th century. For instance, the 25th issue of the Kavkaz newspaper (1871) notes: “According to Abikh’s barometric calculations, the northeastern part of the  city, where the Aghoghlan and Elizavetpol gates are located, is situated at an altitude of 3886 feet, and the southwestern part, called the "Shusha rock", and on which the Iravan gates are placed, is located at an altitude of 4705 feet”. Back in the ‘60s of the 19th century, these gates played an important role in the public life of Shusha, as evidenced by an article published in the "Иллюстрация" newspaper. According to it, the Aghoghlan and Iravan gates were intended for high officials and transportation of the goods, the Ganja gates were for the passage of the wagons. Some  sources also spoke of the existence of the fourth gates, but their place and name were not established. The fortress gates built during Panah Ali Khan were called Iravan or Khalfali, considering that the road from them went to the village of Khalfali and further to Iravan. These gates, like other gates of the Shusha fortress, are marked on all, written in the 19th century, general plans of the city. Architectural features. Unlike the Ganja Gates, the Iravan Gates were interpreted in a more traditional way - they were designed in the form of a pointed arch, and fortified on the  both sides by symmetrically located two-tier combat towers. On the 19th century's drawings and general plans of Shusha, these towers are numbered 1 and 2, since the Iravan gates were the western periphery of the city's fortifications, the countdown of the towers began from them. Although the gates have survived to nowadays in a ruined state, Sara Ashurbeyli, who conducted a research as part of an expedition to Shusha in the 1930s, noted that she observed the arches of the gates.