Azerbaijan > Guba

Guba

This magnificent apple district is buried in gardens, the rich crops of which in autumn supply all the countries with juicy sweet fruits. The area has very rich flora and fauna. Plenty of medicinal plants and grasses grow there.

The region center has kept the originality of the Guba khanate of XVIII century, when local governors have built fortifications around of city. Frenchman Alexander Dumas, Norwegian Thor Heyerdahl, Russian Bestuzhev-Marlinskiy and many other outstanding writers,.travelers, historians during their trips across the Caucasus necessarily visited Guba, being inspired with spirit of the great transformations of civilization.

In fact, in the middle of XVIII century, during Fatali-khan's governing the Guba kingdom has spread its influence over the whole north-eastern Azerbaijan. Assimilation of mountain Jews among the Muslim population has been successfully carried out there. The Jewish Sloboda ("large village", since 1926 - Krasnaya Sloboda) has been existing till now.

One of the most favorite recreation places of all visitors coming there, is a settlement of Afurdzha with its picturesque 80-meters' fall. From there tourists necessarily try to reach the next fall Kunhart, having overcome thus a wild sea-buckthorn berries gorge and a small, but rough river. They aspire to raise high in mountains, where in a thickness of rocks there have been cut down ancient stone pools overflown with warm water of hydrosulphuric sources. Yes, in urban conditions such "Jacuzzi" is inaccessible! More higher, in a gorge the colony of white-headed griffins lives. These eagles are registered in the Red Book of Azerbaijan.

The connoisseurs of ancient architecture can visit the octagonal mausoleum.in the village of Agbil, constructed in 1537, and also Juma-mosque and Sakina-khanim mosque, ancient baths, and Historical Museum of ;Guba. High in the mountains, in the village of Hynylyg, the temple of fire-worshippers of IX century has been kept. 3000 inhabitants of this village speak their own language, not known anywhere else.

In vicinities of the village Utug you may try your luck, searching the ancient treasures. Sometimes one can find there the coins of epoch of Shirvanshahs' ruling (XI-XIII centuries). The sanctuary created by the nature - don't forget to visit the Pirbanovsha fall, where water has turned the whole minaret in rocks. Local residents will tell you about wonderful and mysterious properties of this unique sculpture.

If you once visit the "Metropolitan" Museum in New-York, pay attention to the carpet "Golly Chichi". The guide would tell you that this outstanding exhibit was weaved almost 300 years ago in Guba. Its "great-grandchildren" decorate nowadays the houses of the local residents.

There are good hotels, different zones of rest and small, cozy guesthouses in Guba.