Qabala

**Qabala** or **Gabala** () is the maist auncient ceity o Azerbaijan an the caipital o the Qabala Rayon o Azerbaijan.  The municipality consists o the ceity o Qəbələ an the veelage o Küsnət. Afore 1991 the ceity wis kent as Kutkashen, but efter Azerbaijan's unthirldom the toun wis renamed in honour o the hintle aulder ceity o Gabala, the umwhile caipital o Caucasian Albanie, the airchaeological steid o which is aboot 20&nbsp;km soothwast.

## History
Qabala is the auncient caipital o the Caucasian Albanie. Aircheological evidence indicates that the ceity functioned as the caipital o the Caucasian Albanie as early as the fowert century BC. Ruins o the auncient toun are in 15&nbsp;km frae regional center, allocatit on the territory atween Garachay an Jourluchay rivers. Qabala wis locatit in the middle o the 2500 auld Silk Road an wis mentioned in wirks o Pliny the Younger as "Kabalaka", Greek geographer Ptolemy as "Khabala", Arabic historian Ahmad ibn Yahya al-Baladhuri as "Khazar". In the 19t century, the Azerbaijani historian Abbasgulu Bakikhanov mentioned in his beuk "Gulistani Irem" that Kbala or Khabala wur in fact Qabala.
In 60s B.C., Roman troops attacked Caucasian Albanie but did no succeed in capturin the Qabala territory. In 262, Caucasian Albanie wis occupee'd bi Sassanid Empire but preserved its poleetical an economic status. In 464 AD, lost its unthirldom due tae years o invasions frae the northren nomadic tribes an haed tae muive its caipital ceity tae Partava (currently Barda in Azerbaijan). Qabala wis occupee'd bi Shirvanshah Fariburz, Georgian tsar David III o Tao in 1120, Mongol khan Timurleng in 1386, Safavid shah Tahmasib I in 1538, Persian Nader Shah in 1734 but wis able tae preserve its cultur an identity. Efter the daith o Nader Shah in 1747, Azerbaijan split intae independent khanates an sultanates an Qabala became a Qutqashen Sultanate. It wis cried Qabala Mahali an aw. Efter Azerbaijan wis occupee'd bi Roushie Empire in 1813 it conductit admeenistrative reforms an in 1841 Azerbaijani khanates wur terminatit an the territories wur incorporatit intae governorates. Qabala aurie wis addit tae Nukha uyezd o Elisabethpol Govrenorate. Due tae aircheological finds in Qabala, it wis declared a National State Reserve in 1985.

## Geography
The ceity is rich wi chestnut an hazelnut trees.

## Economy
The economy o Qabala is pairtially agricultural, pairtially tourist based, wi some manufacturin industries, mainly for fuid preserves, tobacco an silkwirm cocoon dryin.

### Tourism
Qabala is considered a popular tourist destination, thanks tae the combination o a vera guid spring climate, woods alang the muntains an excellent fauna wis exploitit bi the construction o lairge numbers o hotels an apairtments in ceity.

## Cultur

Syne 2009, ceity haes been hame o Gabala International Music Festival, which includit performances frae classical an jazz performers such as Al Jarreau an the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

### Landmarks

Gabala is renowned for the ruins o an auncient wawed ceity, Chukhur Gabala, datin back tae the 4t century BC. The ceity haes an interestin cultural centre, wi bonnie Soviet mosaics, a lairge war memorial, numerous auncient stane hooses an the Rashidbek monument, which is shaped as a huge beuk.

Anither landmark is the lairge Qabala Radar station, on the soothren horizon as seen frae Qabala toun, is ane o anerlie twa Pechora-type missile early warnin stations in the umwhile USSR.

## Sports
The ceity haes ane professional fitbaa team competin in the top-flicht o Azerbaijani fitbaa - Gabala FC, currently playin in the Azerbaijan Premier League.
The team is managed bi umwhile Ingland an Arsenal player Tony Adams. The clubs haulds its home games in the newbuild Gabala City Stadium.

## Notable fowk frae Qabala
*Ismayil bay Qutqashenli, militar general
*Ibrahim bay Musabeyov, poet

## Pictur gallery

File:Ancient Gabala00.jpg|Auncient Qabala fortress
File:Ancient Gabala02.jpg|Aircheological steid o Qabala fortress
File:Ancient Gabala03.jpg|Airchaeological Excavations o Auncient Qabala - Glazed ceramic an ceramic pipe 
File:Ancient Gabala05.jpg|Aircheological excavations 
File:Ancient Gabala09.jpg|Aricheological excavations in Qabala
File:Ancient Gabala10.jpg|Ceramic finds
File:Gabala lake.jpg|Qabala lake
File:Handicraft Gabala Azerbaijan 01.jpg|Handcraft birds
File:Handicraft Gabala Azerbaijan.jpg|Handcraftin is a special form o airt in Qabala
File:Qəbələ 060.jpg|Modren life in Qabala
File:Габала-оркестр.jpeg|Durin the Muisic Festival in Qabala
File:Waterfall Gabala Azerbaijan.jpg|Waterfaw in Qabala


## References

## Freemit airtins
*
*Steid o Executive Pouer o Qabala