Nakhchivan (city)
Nakhchivan (, ; ; ; ) is the capital of the eponymous Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan, located west of Baku. The municipality of Nakhchivan consists of the city of Nakhchivan, the settlement of Əliabad and the villages of Başbaşı, Bulqan, Haciniyyət, Qaraçuq (Garachug), Qaraxanbəyli (Garakhanbeyli), Tumbul, Qarağalıq, and Daşduz. It is spread over the foothills of Zangezur Mountains, on the right bank of the Nakhchivan River at an altitude of above sea level. Since 9 June 2009, the Bulqan, Qaraçuq, Qaraxanbəyli, Tumbul and Haciniyyət villages of the Babek District are included in the scope of the administrative-territorial unit of the Nakhchivan  city. Toponymy. The city's official Azerbaijani spelling is Nakhchivan (), so is the Persian spelling (). In Armenian and Russian, the city's name is spelled as Nakhichevan (, ). The city was first mentioned in Ptolemy's "Geography" as "Naxuana" (, ), while the Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi referred to it as "Ijevan". According to an interpretation by the Jewish historian Josephus Flavius, the Armenian name of "Nakhjavan" means "the place of the first landing." He wrote that the city of Nakhchivan was built at the foot of a mountain, to the top of which Noah's Ark landed during the Biblical flood. Russo -German linguist Max Vasmer argued that Nakhchivan was originally named "Nakhjavan", which was the result of the combination of the Armenian "Νaχič", and the Old Persian "avan", latter meaning "a place". Later on, the Turkic peoples migrating to the region transformed the sound dʒ to tʃ, which led to the formation of the Nakhchivan variant of the name. German philologist Heinrich Hübschmann also agrees with this interpretation. According to Harrison Gray Otis Dwight, Nakhchivan derives from the composition of "nakh" ("first" in Armenian) and "ichevan" ("resting-place" or "descent" in Armenian), thus translates to "first resting-place" or "first descent . History. Classical period. Local tradition states that Nakhchivan was founded by Noah after the Flood, and was his place of death and burial. According to Saint Movses Khorenatsi, King Tigranes I of Armenia settled Median prisoners of war at Nakhchivan in the second century BC. Nakhchivan is first mentioned in Ptolemy's Geographia" as Naxouana (). Nakhchivan was destroyed by "Shahanshah" Shapur II in 363 and its Armenian and Jewish population was deported to Iran. Emperor Heraclius travelled through the city en route to Atropatene in 623 during the Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628. Medieval period. The Arab siege of Nakhchivan  in 650 led Theodore Rshtuni to conclude a truce. After the rebellion of 703, Muhammad ibn Marwan had the rebel nobles burnt alive in churches in Nakhchivan and Goghtn in 705. Nakhchivan temporarily came under the control of the Kingdom of Armenia in c. 900, but was swiftly taken by Muhammad ibn Abi'l-Saj. The city was the temporary refuge of "Atabeg" Nusrat al-Din Abu Bakr after his defeat at the Battle of Shamkor in 1195, and Nakhchivan was conquered by the Kingdom of Georgia in 1197. In 1225, Nakhchivan was ruled by al-Maleka al-Jalāliya, daughter of  Atabeg Muhammad Jahan Pahlavan. Genoese merchants were known to trade in the city by 1280. The city was conquered by Timur in 1401, but was taken by King George VII of Georgia in 1405. Modern period. Nakhchivan was conquered by "Shahanshah" Ismail I in 1503. "Shahanshah" Abbas I of Persia reconquered Nakhchivan from the Ottoman Empire in 1603–1604. Nakhchivan was annexed to the Russian Empire per the Treaty of Turkmenchay in 1828. The city became the centre of the Nakhchivan Uyezd in the Erivan Governorate in 1849. In 1896, Nakhchivan had a population of 7,433, roughly two-thirds of which  were Azeri-speaking Muslims and one-third Armenian Christians. After the February Revolution of 1917, a soviet was formed in Nakhchivan, but the city was under the control of the Special Transcaucasian Committee from March to November 1917, and its successor the Transcaucasian Commissariat from November 1917 to March 1918. Turkey occupied Nakhchivan from June until November, after which the city was occupied by British soldiers in January 1919, and a military governor was appointed to administer Nakhchivan. It was decided that Nakhchivan would be granted to Armenia on 6 April 1919, and the city was annexed on 6 June  1919. Britain, France, Italy, and the US, with approval from Armenia and Azerbaijan, agreed on 25 October 1919 to appoint American Colonel Edmond D. Daily as General-Governor of Nakhchivan, elections would be held, and both Armenia and Azerbaijan would withdraw its forces from the territory. However, in March 1920, Turkish forces led by Kâzım Karabekir occupied Nakhchivan. Soviet Russia took control of Nakhchivan on 28 July 1920, and the city became part of the newly formed Nakhchivan Soviet Socialist Republic. The Treaty of Moscow of 16 March 1921, and later the Treaty of Kars of 21 October 1921, between  Russia and Turkey agreed that Nakhchivan would be an autonomous territory under the protection of Azerbaijan and delimited its borders with Turkey. In February 1923, the city formed part of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Krai within the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic (ASSR), but later became the capital of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic within the ASSR in March 1924. When Azerbaijan declared independence from the Soviet Union, Nakhchivan remained part of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Following the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, a trilateral ceasefire was signed between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia. According to the agreement, Azerbaijan will gain a road  access to Nakchivan through Armenia which will be secured by Russian peacekeepers. Ecclesiastical history. The bishop of Mardpetakan resided at Nakhchivan, and the Armenian historian Tovma Artsruni records Sahak Vahevuni as bishop of Nakhchivan and Mardpetakan and brother of Apusahak Vahevuni. Geography. The city is spread over the foothills of Zangezur chain, on the right bank of the Nakhchivan River at an altitude of almost 1,000 m (3,300 ft). The floods and soil erosion spiked because of the decreased forest cover along riverbanks. As a result, reforestation projects implemented in the city to encourage tree planting. Climate. Nakhchivan has a  continental semi-arid climate (Köppen "BSk") with short but cold, snowy winters and long, dry, very hot summers. Population. According to the State Statistics Committee of Azerbaijan, the number of population of city was 63,8 thousand in 2000. Economy. Traditionally, Nakhchivan was home to trade industry, handicraft, shoemaking and hatmaking by Azerbaijanians. These industries have been largely replaced. The restoration enterprises and development industry, liberalization of foreign trade and the extension of the customs infrastructure, which has been largely responsible for Nakchivan's growth in the last two decades, are now major parts of Nakchivan's economy. Culture. The city  has a wide range of cultural activities, amenities and museums. Heydar Aliyev Palace, which has a permanent local painting exhibition and a theatre hall for an audience of 1000 people, and a recently restored Soviet-time Opera Theatre where the Nakhchivan State Musical Drama Theatre realises theatre plays, concerts, musicals and opera. Many of the city's cultural sites are expected to be celebrated in 2018 when Nakhchivan was designated an Islamic Culture Capital. Architecture. The city is home Momine Khatun Mausoleum, Gulustan Mausoleum, Noah's Mausoleum, Garabaghlar Mausoleum, Yusif ibn Kuseyir Mausoleum, Imamzadeh mausoleum and Mausoleum of Huseyn Javid  mausoleums. The main sight in the city is the heavily restored 12th-century Momine Khatun Mausoleum, also known as Atabek Gumbezi. Momine Khatun was the wife of Eldegizid Atabek Jahan Pahlivan, ruler of the Atabek Eldegiz emirate. The 10-sided monument is decorated with intricate geometrical motives and Kufic script, it uses turquoise glazed bricks. It shares the neighbourhood with a statue of its architect – Ajami Nakhchivani – and a bust of Heydar Aliyev. Also from the 12th century and by the same architect, is the octagonal Yusuf Ibn Kuseir tomb, known as "Atababa", half abandoned near the main cemetery. In  1993, the white marble mausoleum of Hussein Javid was built. The Azerbaijani writer died in the Gulag during Joseph Stalin's Great Purge. Both the mausoleum and his house museum are located east of the theatre. Although being a recent construction, Huseyn Javid's mausoleum is of great iconic importance, representing the ability of the exclave to live despite the Armenian embargo and becoming a symbol of Nakhchivan itself. The mausoleums of Nakhchivan were entered for possible inclusion in the List of World Heritage Sites, UNESCO in 1998 by Gulnara Mehmandarova – president of Azerbaijan Committee of ICOMOS—International Council on  Monuments and Sites. Cuisine. Nakchivan’s signature cuisine includes shirin plov (sweet rice with gravy; made with mutton, hazelnuts, almonds and dried fruits), dastana, komba, tendir lavash and galin. Lavash is made with flour, water, and salt. The thickness of the bread varies depending on how thin it was rolled out. Toasted sesame seeds and/or poppy seeds are sometimes sprinkled on before baking. It is impossible to imagine any table without bread in Azerbaijan and also in Nakhchivan. In connection with this, the assortment of bread in Nakhchivan is different; the tendir lavash as thin as paper, galin (thick), dastana , and komba (ash cake). If prepared to saj it was called lavash, "Juha salmag" – spread Juha, lavash bread on saj, and if prepared in the tandir, the "llavash yapmag" lavash bread stick. The fact is that it was necessary to stick lavash bread on the hot inner walls of the tandir. it is impossible to fight with lavash bread, as the proverb reads "Gyaldi lavash – Bitdili Savas" – "Came lavash – the end of the war". There are many people’s ideological expressions about lavash "Yavash-yavash -pendir- lavash " "Quietly (slow) – cheese lavash " or "Khamrali hash – bagryna bass", "Khamraliev" (kind of bread ) push to the chest, i.e. . lavash bread – eat slowly. "Of lavash folk sandwiches are made in a roll shape – durmek. In the village where children ran out to play or school they were supplied with these sandwiches. Inside durmeks – rolls was put butter and jam, cheese, cottage cheese and butter, cheese with herbs, potatoes, boiled eggs, etc." Sacrificial monument Ashabi-Kahf. Ashabi-Kahf is a sanctuary in a natural cave which is located in the eastern part of the city of Nakhchivan, between the mountains of Ilandag and Nahajir in Azerbaijan.Since ancient times Ashabi-Kahf is considered as a  sacred place.It is known not only in Nakhchivan, but also in other regions of Azerbaijan and countries of the Middle East.Each year ten thousands of people make a pilgrimage to this place. Touristic place of Batabat Lake. Batabat Lake is in the Shahbuz district of Nakhchivan, in the basin of the Nakhchivan River and covers an area of 16.0 hectares. The local climate and landscape are favourable for the creation of tourist and recreation facilities. The existing meadows, clean, life-giving air, natural forests and bushes, fresh water streams (Zorbulag and Sudlubulag) and mineral water springs surely demand  the creation of a leisure and tourism zone. Conditions are very favourable for the treatment of cardiac diseases and diseases of the nervous system. Museums and galleries. The city also has many historical museums, the literature museum of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Nakhchivan State History Museum, The Nakhchivan State Carpet Museum, and the house museums of Jamshid Nakhchivanski and Bahruz Kangarli. There is also an archaeological museum found on Istiqlal street. The city has a few interesting mosques, particularly the Juma mosque, with its large dome. Modern museums in Nakchivan include the Museum under Open Air, Heydar Aliyev Museum and the  Memorial Museum ("Xatıra Muzeyi"), dedicated to the national strife between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Music and media. The regional channels "Naxçıvan TV" and "Kanal 35", and newspaper Sharg Gapisi are headquartered in the city. Sports. Araz Naxçivan one of the top futsal clubs in the European futsal arena and regularly participates in UEFA Futsal Cup. Nakhchivan had one professional football team, Araz-Naxçıvan, which competed in the top-flight of Azerbaijani football, the Azerbaijan Premier League. In 2014, the city hosted Masters Weightlifting World Cup. Festivals. Nakhchivan is known for its "Goyja" fruit, sort of a cherry-plum, and hosts a  traditional Goyja festival at the Nakhchivangala Historical-Architectural Museum Complex. Products made from goyja—jam, compote (drink), pickles, dried, lavasha (bread) – are shown at the festival. Another festival organized annually in Nakhchivan is associated with kata () – flat pie with greens, which is made with shomu (wild spinach), mixed greens, desert candle, pumpkin, asphodel, nettle, bean or lentil in a dough wrapped in the shape of an envelope and cooked in a tandir. Kata festival is aimed to show and promote the preparation manner of various types of the kata specific to different regions of NAR. The festival is held at  the Historical-Architectural Museum Complex "Nakhchivangala" in April. Education. There are 3 professional, 6 musical, 22 secondary schools and a military cadet school in Nakhchivan administered by the city council. Universities and colleges. Nakhchivan is home to numerous universities: Transport. Public transport. Nakhchivan's trolleybus system consisted of three lines at its height and existed until 2004. Air. Nakhchivan International Airport is the only commercial airport serving Nakhchivan. The airport is connected by bus to the city center. There are domestic flights to Baku and international service to Russia and Turkey. Rail. Currently, a light rail line operates from Nakhchivan  southeast to Ordubad and northwest to Sharur. Notable residents. The city's notable residents include: president of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, Huseyn Javid – poet and playwright, founder of the progressive romanticism in Azerbaijani literature, writer Jalil Mammadguluzadeh, opera singer Azer Zeynalov, film director Rza Tahmasib, generals Huseyn Khan Nakhchivanski and Jamshid Nakhchivanski, artist Bahruz Kangarli and architect Ajami Nakhchivani. International relations. Twin towns. Nakhchivan is twinned with various cities.