Nakhchivan

Discovering an ancient city: Nakhchivan (Azerbaijan) Travel Guide (http://montsebaughan.com/)

Discovering an ancient city: Nakhchivan (Azerbaijan) Travel Guide

 by Montse Baughan |  posted in: Travel |  0

As you know, I posted my Nakhchivan Travel Vlog a few days ago and today I want to share some of our pictures with you along with some tips and recommendations from our personal experience.

I have been living in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, for the last five months. Now that spring has arrived and the weather is warmer, I am starting to experience this country, which is very beautiful and captivating.

The first place I traveled to is Nakhchivan, a landlocked enclave of the Republic of Azerbaijan. This territory is bordering Armenia to the east and north, Iran to the south and west and Turkey to the northwest.

(In this picture you can see Nakhchivan. Iran is on the other side of the water).

The best way to get to Nakhchivan is to fly from Baku. Azerbaijan Airlines provides 3-6 scheduled flights every day from the capital.

Nakhchivan has a lot of ancient cultural monuments, such as the Momine Khatun Mausoleum that was constructed in the XII century and represents the architectural tradition of the medieval era of the region.

Behind the monument you can see the Kahn Palace, built in 1747. At the present time, it serves as a museum with more than 900 exhibits in eight presentation halls in the museum.

Nakhchivangala is a fortress that is also very rich in archeological materials, especially the pottery fragments and stone maces. Nowadays, it is a historical and architectural museum complex.

There is an underground mine shaft that served as a shelter. A hall was opened in the upper part for ventilation and lighting. There is also a well inside the cave. The fortress was mostly destroyed, but the remaining parts attract attention for its uniqueness.

The Alinja Fortress is an unusual and magnificent place located on the top of a mountain top, near the town of Julfa. It dated back to the 6th-8th centuries. However, the fortress was destroyed and rebuilt several times.

Inside the walls, on the lower slopes of the mountains there are springs and water tanks.

The highest top is the Gapichig mountain.

(Beautiful landscape and rainbow)

We stayed at the Duzdag Hotel that is located in an isolated area, 10 km from Nakhichevan. It offers a sauna, a Turkish bath, a tennis court, an indoor and outdoor pool, game tables and a gym.

It also features a physiotherapy clinic, located a five minute drive away, with various treatments and special salt caves for patients with respiratory diseases such as asthma.

We also went to the mountains and enjoyed the snow. The landscape was breathtaking.

One of the things that called my attention was this door. It has two bells: the one on the right is for men and the one of the left is for women. If a man knocks at the door, another man will open and if a woman knocks with the feminine side, a female will attend her.

The last thing we did was a tour to the spectacular Ashab-e-Kahf. This is a sanctuary in a natural cave, between Ilandagh and Nahajir mountains, a 12 km distance from Nakhchivan city. It means “Cave masters” in Arabic. Currently pilgrims, tourists and guests from other regions of Azerbaijan and from foreign countries visit here regularly.

Australian tourist visited Nakhchivan / Land of prophet Noah

Australian tourist visited Nakhchivan for 2 day. He discovered land of prophet Noah.

Древний город Нахичевань

Нахчыван - один из красивейших уголков Азербайджана. Он необычен по своей природе, архитектуре. Завораживающая панорама величественных гор, своеобразный ландшафт притягивают взгляд и захватывают дух.

Древний край Азербайджана Нахчыван имеет богатое культурное и историческое наследие. В этом краю под каждым камнем, под каждой скалой находятся памятники, воплощающие в себе культуру, традиции и обычаи, богатое прошлое азербайджанского народа, здесь можно встретить пещеры, древние места обитания людей, наскальные росписи, великолепные крепостные сооружения.

В Нахчыване 1162 историко-культурных памятника, из которых 58 имеют мировое значение. В пещерах Газма, Ашаби-Кеф и Килид были найдены следы культуры эпохи каменного века. В конце IV тыс.лет и начале II тыс.лет до н.э на территории Нахчывана для проживания были основаны такие города-крепости как Оглангала, Карабаглар, Чалхангала и Говургала.

Памятники изобразительного искусства наподобие рисунков Гемигая отражают образ жизни и религиозно-идеологическое мировоззрение древних племен Нахчывана. 

Предполагается, что Ашаби-Кеф - пещера из суры Кехф в Коране. 

Еще одним великолепным памятником Нахчывана является лучшее творение Зодчего Аджеми - Мавзолей Момине Хатун. Этот мавзолей также называют нахчыванским Тадж-Махалом. Мавзолей считается одним из самых изящных и высоких памятников не только в Азербайджане, но и во всем мире. Он был возведен в 1186 году над могилой Момине Хатун - жены основателя государства Атабеков Шамсаддина Эльдениза. В народе мавзолей получил название «Купол Атабеков». 

Другой историко-архитектурный памятник, относящийся к Зодчему Аджеми – мавзолей Юсифа ибн Кусейра. Построенный в 1162 году, этот мавзолей также именуется в народе как «мавзолей Отца и деда». На корпусе памятника почерком куфи написаны аяты из Корана. 

Еще одна ценная память средневековой архитектуры Нахчывана - мавзолей Карабаглар. В комплекс памятника Карабаглар входят мавзолей, минареты и расположенные между ними развалины помещения для молитв. Возможно, минареты были построены в конце XII - начале XIII века. Фасадное украшение минарета состоит из повторяющихся слов «Аллах». 

Другой привлекающий внимание архитектурный памятник Нахчывана - Бузхана. Он относится к XIV веку и расположен в центре Ордубада. Здание состоит из большой комнаты, 36 ступеней и подвала для хранения льда. Высота - 11 метров, а толщина стен - 80 см. В зимние месяцы в подвал заливали воду, получая т.о лед. В летние месяцы местные жители использовали его, чтобы хранить продукты питания. 

Хан сарай, относящийся к XVIII веку, считают одним из величественных построений Нахчывана. Он также является местом, которые с интересом посещают туристы. Предполагается, что дворец в конце XVIII века построил Келбели хан Кенгерли - отец последнего нахчыванского хана Эхсана. Памятник до начала XX века был домом для ханов Нахчывана. Сейчас в этом дворце находится Музей ковров Нахчывана. 

Восточная баня, относящаяся к XVIII веку - один из историко-архитектурных памятников, который охраняют власти Нахчывана. Этот архитектурный комплекс был построен вблизи протекающей когда-то через центр Нахчывана реки Базарчай. 

Нахчыван давно славится соляными пещерами, которые привлекают людей с разных концов земли своими лечебными свойствами. 

В центре созданы все условия для больных с заболеваниями органов дыхания, также туда организовываются экскурсии для желающих посмотреть на это чудо природы.

Лечебница состоит из надземной и подземной частей. Первая расположена в Дуздаге и в отеле «Дуздаг», а вторая — под горой на глубине 300 метров.

Tomb of Noah and 4 more reasons to visit Nakhchivan during European Games

Nakhchivan has recently hosted many international events. Nakhchivan is indeed one of the places tourists should visit during the upcoming European Games.

The First European Games will be held in Baku from June 12-28. More than 6,000 athletes from all over Europe will represent their countries within 17 days. Baku was honored to hold the European Games by the European Olympic Committee (EOC) in December 2012.

Nakhchivan is the birthplace of the National Leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev. Famous scholars, statesmen, writers, artists were also born here.

Aside from that, Nakhchivan has a number of tourist attractions, which would be of interest to, basically, anyone.

For example, Nakhchivan is one of the oldest settlements in the world. The toponym "Nakhchivan" has several etymological meanings. According to one of the versions, the toponym "Nakhchivan" is associated with the name of the legendary Prophet Nuh (upon the Old Testament - Noah), who escaped after the Great Deluge. So, the legend says that "Nuhchivan" is the settlement of Noah’s supporters, that is, the area of Noah.

The word ‘Nakhchivan’ consists of three parts: ‘Nakh’ (Nukh or Noah), the Turkic suffix ‘chi’ and the toponymic formant ‘van’, which means ‘place’. The city’s name is translated as ‘a resting place of Noah’ or ‘the place where Noah appeared.’

In the 19^th century the Russian researcher, K.A.Nikitin wrote, “According to legend, after the flood, the prophet Noah lived in Nakhchivan and was buried there... There are still parables about how the prophet Noah worked in local salt mines ...”

The place name ‘Nakhchivan’ was first mentioned as ‘Nakhsuana’ in Ptolemy’s work on geographical knowledge, the Geography (2^nd century BC).

In the run-up of the first-ever European Games, the tourists coming to Azerbaijan are invited to make a fascinating journey through the country’s unique places, among which is Nakhchivan, full of mysteries and legends.

There are 1,162 cultural and historical monuments in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. Of them, 58 are of the world significance, 455 monuments are of national importance, and 649 monuments of local importance.

The historical and cultural sites include 663 archaeological monuments, 285 architectural monuments, historical monuments, places of worship and so on.

Below are five historic sightseeing spots you should check out:

Noah's Mausoleum, also known as the Tomb of the Prophet Nuh, is located in the southern part of the city on the territory of the Old Fortress. It was built in 2006 on the remains of an ancient temple. It is believed that there are the relics of Noah in the crypt of the tomb.

Cave of As-hab al Kahf (in Arabic “companions of the cave”) is located about 12 kilometers from the city of Nakhchivan, between the Ilandagh (Hachadagh) and Nahajir mountains at 1,665 meters above sea level. The place is mentioned in the Quran in the Surah Al-Kahf (Cave). As the legend says, seven people, who believed in one God, seeking refugee from the tyranny of an idolatrous ruler, fled him and found a cave to rest in. They fell asleep there and woke up after 300 years.

After waking up and coming of the cave, they saw a changed world, where they felt as strangers. Then they asked God to take them to his kingdom, and the mountain helped them disappear. Since then, the place is called As-hab al Kahf. As-hab al Kahf, along with such architectural monuments as the Mausoleum of Momine Khatun, Geysariyya, is a symbol of Nakhchivan. This sanctuary is revered not only in Azerbaijan but also in countries of the Middle East.

Yusif ibn Kuseyir Mausoleum was built by architect Ajami ibn Abubakr Nakhchivani in the 12^th century. The mausoleum is made up of eight facets and it has a pyramid-shaped roof. It is one of the oldest monuments in the city.

Momina Khatun Mausoleum – another work by the well-known architect Ajami Nakhchivani. Originally, the height of the mausoleum built in the 12^th century, was 34 meters. The mausoleum was built in honor of Momina Khatun, wife of ruler Jahan Pahlavan.

Khan Palace is the sightseeing of the later period - it was built in the 18^th century. It was created by the father of the last khan of Nakhchivan. Starting from 1998, the Khan Palace became Nakhchivan’s State Carpet Museum.

*Photos shot by Mirnaib Hasanoglu, head of the board of Azerbaijan Photographers Union, during a solemn event dedicated to the arrival of the torch of the First European Games to Nakhchivan city.

By Vugar Imanov, Elchin Huseynov/Trend Agensy