Cultural Interpretation of Christian Architectural Heritage and Its Integration into a Regional Tourism Route: The Shaki–Gabala–Gakh Case
Riad Safarli 
Abstract. This article identifies the cultural meanings of Christian architectural heritage in north-western Azerbaijan and proposes an evidence-based model for integrating this heritage into a Shaki–Gabala–Gakh regional tourism route. The study applies a qualitative approach combining comparative case analysis, document review, and thematic content analysis. Kish Temple, the Chotari Church in Nij, the Qum Basilica, the Lekit circular temple, and St George’s Church in Gakh are compared through five criteria: historical documentation, symbolic meaning, living heritage, visitor interpretation, and conservation sensitivity. The findings show that presenting all monuments through a single religious-historical narrative may obscure their different functions, architectural contexts, and community relationships. A more effective approach is to design each site as a distinct interpretive node and then connect the nodes through a shared regional story. The proposed model combines conservation, scholarly interpretation, local community participation, digital communication, and visitor monitoring within one management system. It can improve the quality and competitiveness of the tourism product while protecting sacred functions, architectural authenticity, and locally retained cultural benefits. The model also offers practical criteria for route design, guide training, multilingual content, and responsible visitor management.
Keywords: christian architectural heritage, cultural interpretation, regional tourism route, living heritage, sustainable tourism