City of Shamakhi, Azerbaijan: history, description, sights

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

The city of Shamakhi in Azerbaijan is one of the oldest settlements in the country, with more than 2000 years of history. It is the administrative and cultural center of the Shirvan region. In recent years, the population has increased significantly, exceeding 30,000 people. The main activities are agriculture and carpet weaving. The assembly shop of Iranian Azsamand cars has recently started working.

Geographic information

Shemakha (Shamakhi) is located at an altitude of 749 meters above sea level in the southeastern foothills of the Caucasus, in the valley of the Pirsagat River. The settlement is securely covered by a mountain range that protects from the northern winds. In the past, the surrounding peaks served as defensive points when attacked by enemies. The area abounds with pure mountain springs.

The city of Shamakhi (Azerbaijan) is located 122 kilometers west of Baku, on the Baku-Gazakh highway. The nearest train station is Desert Skys, about 25 km south.

The climate is characterized by large temperature differences between seasons. If in summer the average daily temperature reaches +30 ° C, then frosts are not uncommon in winter. Precipitation is moderate (595 mm per year) with a maximum during the spring months.

Seismic hazard

Shemakha is one of the most seismically dangerous cities in Azerbaijan. Data on 11 major earthquakes have been preserved, after which the settlement had to be rebuilt. The most devastating were earthquakes in 1667, as a result of which a third of the houses lay in ruins, and the number of victims, according to Persian historians, exceeded 80,000 people.

Ancient history

Among all the cities in Azerbaijan, Shemakha is supposedly the most ancient. The settlement was first mentioned under the name of Kamachiya by the Greek-Egyptian geographer Claudius Ptolemy in the 1st-2nd centuries. It was part of Albania, a once strong state in the Caucasus. However, archaeological excavations have revealed the remains of a large settlement dating from the middle of the first millennium BC.

The current name of the city was given in honor of the Ijmah (Shamak) tribe, who ruled the local lands in the 4th century. Its second birth began in the VI century, when the ruler of the Sassanid Empire, Khosrov I Anushirvan, built powerful fortifications. Interestingly, despite the good security, Shemakha was often plundered by neighboring khans and surrounding tribes.

Middle Ages

Averagecentury, the city was actually the capital of Azerbaijan. Shemakha was the administrative center of the Shirvan state from the 8th to the 15th centuries. It was a large and rich settlement that traded with Persia, the Caucasian principalities, the khanates of Central Asia, India and even distant China.

Memories of Venetian merchants and diplomats who visited Shemakha in 1476 have been preserved: “This is a good city, it has from four to five thousand houses. Silk, cotton and other traditional products are produced here. Most of the inhabitants are Armenians.” By the way, the latter were forced to wear special marks on their clothes that distinguished them from Muslims.

Further development

In 1501, the region was conquered by the Persians. Caravans passed through the city to the northern Caucasus, and then to the Golden Horde and Russia. Significant funds were allocated for the development of Shamakhi. For example, in 1647 there were 70 mosques, 40 caravanserais, 40 schools for boys, and the number of residential buildings reached 7000.

In 1721, the Lezgins, with the support of Sunni Muslims, dissatisfied with the influence of foreigners and Armenians (who were the majority in the city of 60,000), plundered Shamakhi, causing significant damage to it. Many Russian merchants died, which led to the Russo-Persian War of 1722-1723. Subsequently, troubled times of internecine strife and punitive operations of the Persians came, which forced the rulers of Shirvan to turn to the Russian Empire for help. In 1805, having lost another war, Iran was forced to cede territory to Russia.

The city was the capitalgovernorship of Shamakhi (future Azerbaijan). Shemakha in 1859 survived a terrible earthquake, as a result of which the administration was transferred to Baku. This led to a decline, the number of inhabitants was reduced to 20,000.

After Azerbaijan gained independence, the city received a new impetus for development. Here, not only traditional activities are preserved (carpet weaving, viticulture, animal husbandry), but also new industrial enterprises are being opened. There are factories for the production of consumer electronics and cars, a medical diagnostic center has been built, and a modern automatic telephone exchange has been installed.

Attractions

Excursion tours to Azerbaijan are becoming more and more popular both among the residents of Russia and Europe. The country's leadership is investing heavily in the development of the tourism industry. Thanks to the preserved historical monuments, Shamakhi is a must-see for organized tourist groups. After the opening of modern ski resorts in the region, the city is increasingly visited by individual travelers.

What to see in Shamakhi? First of all, these are:

• The ruins of the Gulistan fortress, which protected the city for centuries, but now mostly destroyed.
• Juma Mosque. A wonderful example of the architecture of the Caucasian masters. One of the oldest mosques in Transcaucasia, built in 743 and subsequently rebuilt.
• Yeddi Gumbez Mausoleum.
• Imamzade Mosque.
• Alley of martyrs.
• Shahandan Cemetery.
• Heydar Aliyev Museum.

After visiting the architectural sights, you can explore the picturesque surroundings from the top of Mount Pirdireki or refresh yourself in the waters of the Zogalavachan reservoir.