Azerbaijan > Ganja

Ganja

One of the oldest mausoleums of Gandja - the mausoleum of Jomard Gassab is constructed during the ruling of caliph Ali Talib (656-661), who one of the first, secretly has accepted prophet Mohammed's religion. Since that stage starts the official history of the most ancient cultural center of Azerbaijan, the second largest city after Baku. The socio-economic, industrial capital of the western Azerbaijan, Ganja long since attracted attention, interest of merchants and politicians of Europe and Asia, being the important part of crossing of caravan routes. Beautiful pal-aces, fortresses, caravanserais, bridges, extensive trading bases were built there. Iron and copper mines in district supplied handicraftsmen with raw material. Skilful masters almost one thousand years ago have made the great gate of Ganja.

Exclusive silk and valuable weapon were sold there, many pil-grims were coming to Ganja, great poets Nizami, Mahsati, Vazeh were born there. Gandja by right is called the most ancient religious center of the East. Tourist groups from afar come here to touch the relics of olden time, to take pleasure in seeing local architectural curiosities.

These are the central city Juma - mosque of XIX century, the mausoleum of Sheikh Ibrahim, a complex of constructions Imamzade (XVI century) with dark blue domes and a fortress of the Middle Ages. City baths with original domes by their coloring and murals compete to palace of Darus Sultan (XII century).

There are both Orthodox temples, theatres, museums and art galleries. The mausoleum of Nizami is distinguished by its greatness and exceptional beauty.

Gandja was famous for its silk and porcelain goods, magnificent carpets, embroideries, knitting, confectionery products. Having admired the city monuments, tourists go for ecological excursion to mountain lake Ghoy-gol ("Blue Lake"), which is at a distance of 25 km to the south from Ganja. The Ghoy-gol reserve has been established there 40 years ago and for a long time an access to the pearl of Azerbaijan has been limited. Nowadays there are excellent camp sites, resort zone Haji-kend and a museum of nature there. Visiting the magnificent coast of Blue Lake is a dream of many travelers. And gourmets, having inhaled the curative oxygen, will necessarily visit the local restaurants in order to taste the delicious meals of the skilful cooks.

The district centre itself is known for the original bridges through the river Ganja-chay. These are the "two-eyed" bridge of XVI century and "three-eyed", constructed in XIX century. The local Lutheran church reminds about living there once German immigrants, who later under Stalin's order have been sent to the Central Asia.