St. Ghazanchetsots Cathedral is lacated in the center of Shushi and is its main cathedral. It was built between 1868 and 1887 and is supposed to be one of the architectural-ecclesiastical masterpieces ever built in the Armenian motherland. It's the second spiritual center of Artsakh after Gandzasar. Nowdays it's the recidence of the bishop of the Province of Artsakh.

The Monastery consists of a cathedral and a bell tower. There is a number of registries about the bell tower, in one of which- on the eastern wall, exists a citation, according to which the bell tower was built in commemoration of Gabriel Hovsepyan-Badiryan from the village Ghazanchi.

After the pogrom of the ethnic Armenian population of Shushi realized by Azerbaijan, the cathedral stopes serving. During the 70 years of domination of Azerbaijan were destroyed the two statues of angels that stood at each corner of the entrance, and the cathedral was used as a granary, then as a garage. During the Nagorno-Karabakh War it was used for bombarding Stepanakert and the surrounding areas, and as a storehouse of Grad rocket complex.

After being captured by the forces of Nagorno-Karabakh War in 1992, the cathedral begins serving as a main cathedral.