. The date of Hadrut's foundation is unknown. Fragments of monuments and historical artifacts dated to pre-Christian, early Christian and medieval times have been found in and around Hadrut. There are several ruins of ancient fortresses and walls in the valley surrounding Hadrut. From medieval times until the early 19th century, Hadrut was a part of the Armenian
Principality of Dizak, one of the five
Melikdoms of Karabakh. Some of the earliest activities of the
Karabakh movement occurred in Hadrut, beginning with the collection of petitions in 1986 for the transfer of the
Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast to the
Armenian SSR and culminating in a demonstration of one thousand people in Hadrut in February 1988, which then spread to the capital of the
NKAO, Stepanakert. Following the Armenian victory in the
First Nagorno-Karabakh War, Hadrut became the administrative center of the
Hadrut Province of the
Republic of Artsakh. In the midst of the
2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
heavy fighting took place in Hadrut, marked by the usage of
cluster munitions by the
Azerbaijani Army. Azerbaijan captured Hadrut on or around 9 October 2020. Although most of the civilian population was evacuated, Armenian authorities reported that a number of civilians were killed by Azerbaijani forces in Hadrut and the surrounding area during or after the battle. Following the battle, a video of an execution of two unarmed and bound Armenian men in the town by Azerbaijani soldiers spread online, prompting investigations. The town was vandalized and looted by Azerbaijani soldiers after its capture, with people's belongings strewn throughout the streets and the contents of homes upturned. The Armenian cemetery of the town's church was vandalized as well, with its gravestones having been kicked down and smashed. In January 2021, as part of the reconstruction work in Hadrut, new Azerbaijani-language street signs were erected in Hadrut with new street names based on the names of fallen Azerbaijani soldiers and historical Azerbaijani personalities. In June 2021, Azerbaijani authorities installed an "Iron Fist" monument in the town to celebrate the outcome of the 2020 war. Construction of a mosque started in October 2021, and the finished mosque was officially inaugurated on 14 September 2025. In November 2022 Azerbaijani Government has completed the development of general plans for Hadrut. The master plan for Hadrut was drawn up by SP Architects. Construction of a new residential quarter in the southern part of the town was started in May 2023. In August 2025 Azerbaijani Reconstruction, Construction, and Management Service, strategically positioned within the Aghdam, Fuzuli, and Khojavend districts, has commenced preliminary operations for the enhancement and refurbishment of multi-unit residential structures will be executed within the Hadrut locality. The aggregate expenditure for the initiatives is anticipated to be 4.6 million manat ($2.7 million). Post-war resettlement of the town was started in September 2025, when 10 Azerbaijani families (41 people) settled there. == Historical heritage sites ==