The fortress walls of Shusha enclose the old city on its northern and eastern approaches — the sides where the natural ravines did not provide protection. Built in the mid-18th century under Panah Ali Khan, the walls are constructed of large limestone blocks and were substantial enough to withstand multiple sieges. They survived reasonably intact through the conflict years, though sections were damaged.
The walls are being restored as part of the broader reconstruction of old Shusha. Walking along the surviving battlements gives the best sense of the city's original layout: the old city within the walls, the plateau dropping away to ravines on three sides, and the Lesser Caucasus mountains rising in every direction. The north gate was the main entrance to the historic city and the most intact section of the defensive perimeter.