Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic
There are numerous ruins of ancient towns, towers, fortresses and mausoleums remained all over the region. This land has always been attractive to invaders because of both its important strategic position and natural deposits. In the 4th century BC, Alexander the Great sacked and burned out the whole region. After that, Nakhchivan was annexed by Persia. In the middle of the 17th century, the Nakhchivan Khanate was formed;" however, at the beginning of the 19th century the khanate was incorporated into the Russian Empire.
The city of Nakhchivan is the capital of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan. It is located on the right bank of the Nakhchivanchai River, 1000 m above sea level, 560 km from Baku. This is one of the earliest large cities of Azerbaijan and the ancient East. The history of the city dates back to the earliest ages. Archeologists have found objects of material culture dated to the 2nd-1st millennia BC.
The residents link the history of the ancient settlements in the area of Nakhchivan with the legend of the biblical patriarch Noah, who escaped the Deluge. The earliest written source to mention Nakhchivan is the works of Ptolemy (2nd century). He mentions Nakhchivan under the name of "Nahsuan".
The city is located on the crossroads of ancient trade routes. Once it was a part of one of the states of ancient Azerbaijan - Athropatene (4th-3rd centuries BC). In The Early Middle Ages, the links between Nakhchivan and the countries of Asia Minor, Middle East and Transcaucasia became especially close.
French travelers Pierre Chardine and Dubois de Monpierre and British traveler Porter noted that this was a splendid city with well-preserved architectural monuments of the antiquity. Turkish traveler Evlija Chelebi was enchanted by the city's baths with the water pools daily scattered with rose petals.
Nakhchivan is a homeland of the national leader Heydar Aliev.
In present Nakhchivan, close attention is paid to the development science and education. There is a university, a branch of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, the Academtown. Schools are not set aside, too - old schools are being restored along with building of new ones - e.g. a large, finely equipped school n.a. Heydar Aliev. The city houses the Palace of Culture, Dramatic Theatre, Puppet Theater etc. The finely equipped Olympic Sport Complex has been built recently.
Museums - Carpets Museum, Historical Museum
ORDUBAD
The district of Ordubad is bordered by Armenia on the north and east and by the Islamic Republic of Iran on the south. It is located in the eastern part of NAR. The climate is contrast - cold winters, hot summers. The flora and fauna are rich and the air is exceptionally clean. Many herbal plants and fruits grow in the district. There are many historical monuments dated to the Bronze Age: stone sculptures of rams, remainders of ancient settlements dated to the 2nd-1st millennia BC in the village of Sabir, ruins of the ancient town of Gilan by the village of Aza, medieval buildings in the villages of Kilit, Velaver, Ailis, Aza, Kotam, Bilev and Vanand. There are also ruins of the ancient town of Anabad, the Shahtakhty Tower near the village of Andemidzh, mosques of the 19th century, a mausoleum of the 14th century in the village of Der, a bridge (1826) near the village of Aza, ruins of a bath (14th century) in the village of Der and many other monuments.
On the Gamigaya Mountain, 60 km to the south of Ordubad, there are unique petroglyphs dated to the 3rd-2nd millennia BC. There are thousands of drawings picturing people, domestic life, and hunt, real and fantastic animals. The town of Ordubad is the administrative center of the district. This is the second largest town in Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. This town has been known since the 12th century. It is located 850 m above sea level. For its ancient history, the large number of historical monuments, the exterior almost untouched by new buildings and the preserved domestic life of its residents, the town has been named the State Historical-Architectural Reserve.
Its monuments include the Juma Mosque with unique arched recesses of the elevation, the Dilbar-Mosque, the Afgan Tower and an eyvan of the 18th century, numerous ancient chashme (buildings near springs), the Geysariya indoor trade complex with round domes (19th-20th centuries), an ice-house and mosques of the 18th century, two-storied madrasah and many others.
DZHULFA
The district of Dzhulfa is located to the east of Nakhchivan city. It is dry, hot in summer and freezing in winter. Total amount of precipitations is about 220-600 mm. There are rivers of Alindzha, Gardara and Araz (along the border with Iran). Very beautiful and unique are mountains along the road to Dzhulfa: the geological factor (the composition of layers, age etc.) has influenced their appearance - the mountains resemble huge, dome-shaped, fantastic structures. The mountains of Dzhulfa are forested, with beech, hornbeam, oak;" fauna includes wolves, foxes and hares.
On the bank of the Araz River, there are remainders of ancient structures. These are a caravanserai (13th century) - one of the largest on the territory of Azerbaijan, and the remainders of a bridge dated to the beginning of the 14th century, built by decree of Nakchivan Khan Khakim Ziya Ad-Din. There is the small Gulistan mausoleum (13th century) near the village of Dzhuga and more mausoleums near the village of Der (particularly well preserved is the Tower Mausoleum (15th century). There is also the fortress of Alindzha (12th-13th centuries) and a number of other monuments and ancient ruins. The town of Dzhulfa is located on the bank of the Araz River, on the border with Iran. Located on the opposite bank of the Araz River, almost symmetrical to the Azerbaijani Dzhulfa, is its Iranian namesake. In the past, there was an ancient caravan route connecting Persia with Shirvan, Georgia and Dagestan. Now here is located a border checkpoint.
BABEK
The district of Babek is bordered by Armenia on the north and by Iran on the south. Northern and southeastern parts of the district feature mountainous landscape, while southern and southwestern parts are predominantly lowlands. The tallest peaks are Kechaltepe (2740 m), Garagush (2617 m) and Buzgov (2470 m).
The district is rich in mineral springs (Sirab, Gakhab, Vaikhir) and deposits of rock salt. It is traversed by the Nakhchivanchai River and its branch called Dzhakhrichai;" there are reservoirs - Araz, Nekhra, Uzunoba and Sirab. There are no forests. Native industries include wine, grain and melon growing as well as cattle breeding.
Located on the area of the district are such famous archeological monuments as Gultepe and Gultepe-2 along with the ancient ruins of Abasabad, Vaikhir and Aznabyurt. The town of Babek is the administrative center of the district.
SHAKHBUZ
The district of Shakhbuz is located in the northern part of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. This is a mountainous land. The tallest peaks are the Salvatly (3160) and Kechaldag (3115) mountains;" there is also a mountain pass called Bichanak.
Like the rest of the republic, there are many underground waters, including mineral - Badamli, Batabat, Karvansara and Bichanak. There are also deposits of brimstone, construction materials and peat. The district is traversed by the Nakhchivanchai River and its branches - Kuku, Shakhbuz and Salvarty. Lakes - Ganligel, Batabat. The mountains are heavily forested.
The town of Shakhbuz is the administrative center of the district.There is a resort called "Badamli" (1400 above sea level), located near the mineral water bottling plant of the same name.
SHARUR
The district of Sharur is located in the western part of the republic. On the south, this area is bordered by Iran. Northern and western parts of its territory feature mountainous landscape with the Daralaya Mountain Range. The tallest mountain is Galingaya (2775 m). The climate is semiarid. Local rivers are branches of the Araz River (Arpachai etc,).
The district's numerous historical monuments include ancient settlement sites dated to the Bronze Age on the banks of the Araz and Arpachai Rivers. Found in the cave of Gazma were stone and obsidian instruments dated to the Middle Paleolithic Age;" examples of skillfully made decorated ceramic ware have been found in the village of Shahtakhty.
Archeological excavations near the villages of Arbatan, Vermaziyar, Garagasanli, Babeki and Kosadzhan revealed the settlement sites of Kelukler, Kehne, Arbatan, Kehnekend and Kultepe, the memories of which had been living in minds for ages.
The town of Sharur is the administrative center of the district. On the other side of the railway, there is an old town with baths, bazaar and mosques.
KENGERLI
The district of Kengerli is located between the districts of Babek and Sharur. The southern part of the district is bordered by Iran, the northern - by Armenia. The landscape of the district is predominantly mountainous;" it is located on the Daralaya Plateau. The climate, like in the rest of the autonomous republic, is strongly continental;" it is very hot in summer and chilling in winter. On the territory of the district runs the Araz River that flows along the border between Azerbaijan and Iran.
Mountainous landscape, climatic conditions and lack of small rivers underlay the features of the indigenous fauna, which is represented largely by semidesert and mountainous species (bushes, herbage and scarce trees).
This is an agricultural district with advanced tobacco, cine, grain, vegetable and melon growing.
Like the rest of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, there are many ancient monuments, evidencing that the land was inhabited in earliest times: the Chilkhangala mounds, the Gazma Cave and the ancient settlements of Galadzhig, Govurgala, Damlama, Gulamtepe and Balatepe.
There are also newer monuments - the Jami Mosque (18th century) in the village of Khok, a mosque of the 18th century and a bath of the 19th century in the village of Shahtakhty.
The village of Givrag is the administrative center of the district. It was founded only in 2004. Givrag is located on the Nakhchivan-Sharur highway, 30 km from the capital (Nakhchivan) and 6 km from the Araz River.
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