{"id":4441,"date":"2019-08-21T15:56:22","date_gmt":"2019-08-21T13:56:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mrm-style.com\/en\/?p=4441"},"modified":"2019-08-21T15:56:27","modified_gmt":"2019-08-21T13:56:27","slug":"letters-from-azerbaijan-lahij-place-where-dreams-are-made-of-copper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mrm-style.com\/en\/letters-from-azerbaijan-lahij-place-where-dreams-are-made-of-copper\/","title":{"rendered":"Letters from Azerbaijan: Lahij, place where dreams are made of copper…"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Hello my dear travellers, welcome to new post on the Mr.M blog. How are you doing today? Has something interesting happened to you today? Some people are back from vacation, while some lucky ones are just getting ready to start their journey. In the past few days, I read on the social networks comments from some people, like: “Why we call our vacation “annual leaving”, if it only lasts for 2,3 weeks\u2026 It is not fair!”. I agree with them, but what to do it looks like it’s another “wrong” name, such some terms like “final discounts”, and in the store you will find the maximum of 20% discount\u2026 Sweet “white” lies which we just love and want to believe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the previous two posts you had the opportunity to get to know Baku and see where the cradle of Azeri culture – Gobustan National Park. In today’s post you will meet an interesting village, which is located in the most beautiful part of Azerbaijan, at the heart of the Caucasus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, before I start today’s post I would like to thank the National Tourism Board of the Republic of Azerbaijan<\/a><\/strong><\/em> for its excellent organization, as well as other partners of this project who made our stay in Azerbaijan unforgettable!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tural, our guide told us the opinion of the local people in Azerbaijan, which is that they consider that the road to Lahij village is one of the most beautiful in Azerbaijan. You can see how nature has adapted to climate and you have the great opportunity yo enjoy the view of mountains, plains and sea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I must admit that usually when traveling somewhere by car, I try to rest and get some sleep because press trips can be extremely stressful at times and I use every free moment for rest and relaxation. However this time was different, the trip was different and I decided to show you these beauties of nature to people who may choose to visit Azerbaijan one day!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The people of Azerbaijan are simple, kind and frank. The language may be a small barrier, but because of its close proximity to Russia, many people know Russian. Maybe this fact helps from Balkan region like me because the Russians can understand some of Serbian words which makes it easier for some basic communication. Of course a lot of people speak English as well, but we are talking about older generations who lives in rural areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tural explained to us the geographical location of Azerbaijan and some basic things about places where we are going, so this trip passed so fast for us quickly. Of course we took a couple of breaks, maybe the trip was a little longer, but we learned a lot about Azerbaijan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At the first break, I used the time to take a picture by the sea\u2026 Well, I went well all way to far away Azerbaijan, I guess I deserved to have at least one nice picture with my best friend, I’m most afraid of – water. Strange, but very interesting love!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shortly after these breaks, we came to our first stop on this short car trip. My hosts wanted to show me their oldest and largest mosque in Azerbaijan – the Juma Mosque<\/strong><\/em>. According to legend, it was built in the 8th century when Shamakhi was chosen as the residence of the Arab Caliph. This is why Shamakhi Juma looked like one of the oldest mosques in the Caucasus region. The architecture of this large complex is as follows – the huge prayer hall is divided into three independent sections that are connected with wide open arches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Each part has its own separate mikhrab<\/a><\/strong><\/em> and an entrance. After considerable destruction of the mosque during wars and earthquakes, it was repeatedly reconstructed and restored. The current appearance of the mosque was formed in the early 20th century. The mosque was practically rebuilt on an old basis without losing the basic principles of its structure. There are still three halls. In addition, the central hall is covered by a huge dome and the other two smaller domes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below the central dome is a window belt. The windows are decorated with bars. The whole facade is decorated with tracery lattices. Built more than 1,200 years ago, the Shamakhi Juma Mosque remains one of the largest cult structures in the Caucasus region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mikhrab<\/a> in the main Hall.<\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

It was a great honor for me to visit this holy place and learn more about the history of this part of Azerbaijan. I was particularly attracted to the harem of the mosque (this word has different meaning, but also it is the name of the enclosed courtyard of the mosque) at the entrance to the mosque, as it was arranged as a small green oasis of peace and happiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We had to continue our journey, because we had a long way to go to Lahij village, and we had a few more things to see. We got in the car and continued our trip. Of course I got my camera ready, the photographer fell asleep from the heat, so I had to do some of his work. Nobody knows my “blogging” troubles on the trip when I have different roles to play at the same time\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You are maybe wondering why we headed to Lahij village? Lahij is a remote village located in the Ismaiilli area of Azerbaijan, on the slopes of the Greater Caucasus. About 2,000 people live in this village, mostly belonging to a minority ethnic group that speaks Tat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lahij is one of the oldest permanently populated places in the world. Moreover, the sewerage system of the village dates back to 1000 years ago, which during this time you must admit was very unusual and commendable. For example, large European cities such as Paris and London did not have sewerage system until the 13th – 14th centuries. Incredible, isn’t it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The facilities and master plan of the village are very unique. As a result of frequent earthquakes, locals have developed sophisticated and authentic construction techniques. Traditionally, people used the ground floor of houses as workshops and workrooms. The houses here are characterized by flat roofs. In addition, some houses have balconies overlooking the street.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The history and story of the village, are associated with many legends. According to one legend, many years ago there was a town of 36,000 inhabitants called La. One day a major earthquake happened and La was leveled to the ground. There was no town afterwards, but the place name changed to La-hec. “Hec” in Azerbaijani means nothing or zero. Over time, people came to live in this settlement again. At that time, La-hec changed to Lahi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to another legend, the Persian Shah Kai Khosrov killed a prominent ruler of a city, which caused great unrest in his country. Finally, after some power and throne struggles, the defeated chess decided to flee the country to save his life. He later found refuge in the mountains near modern Lahi. The Shah servants established the village of Lahij for their families. Eventually Kai Khosrov died there, but gradually the small village expanded and turned into a settlement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This is the way how locals consider themselves to be descendants of Kay Khosrov’s original court. Moreover, they claim that the name of the village comes from a place called Lahian in Persia. A tomb with a tombstone belonging to Kai Khosrov was found at the Zavara cemetery in Lahij along with other tombstones dating back more than a thousand years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In the medieval period the village became an important center of craftsmen in Azerbaijan. Lahij’s artisans have started to become very popular throughout Asia and Europe. In the 18th century, the city gained a reputation for producing cold steel weapons and copper. Many of them, such as copper pots and lamps and weapons, still adorn famous European museums, especially the Louvre and the Hermitage. Today, the village and its entire heritage are protected, but open to tourists. The spirit of medieval times and the path of ancient silk is still found in Lahij.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Also, there is one interesting museum in this picturesque place called the Museum of Local History of Lahij and you can find many interesting exhibits in it and learn more about the history of this unusual village.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The museum was opened in 1985 within the Lahij Historical and Cultural Reserve. Initially it was part of the historical and cultural nature reserve, but since 1992 it has the function of an independent cultural object of significance. The museum itself is housed in a building known in Lahi as the “Aghaoglu Mosque”, which was built in 1914.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The exhibit of the museum consists of more than 1000 exhibits in 10 different sections. The exhibits date from ancient examples of crafts, including ceramic specimens, specimens more than 2000 years old, bellows<\/a><\/strong><\/em> made in the 18th century for copper smelting and other livestock and trade related parts, as well as information on the city’s underground irrigation system operating since 15th Century!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The development of international tourism, together with some new knowledge about people and cultures, has resulted in a gradual interest in the cultural diversity of the region. Lahij has attracted the attention of many world tourists in recent years and as a result Lahij village is now included in the tours of several leading travel agencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The time for move came and we continued our journey, we had an amazing time in Lahij village, but Gabala is calling us! Gabala (Azerbaijani: K\u0259b\u0259l\u0259, also known as Kabala, the capital of the Kabbalah district) The municipality consists of the city of Gabala and the town of Kusnat village. Previously, the city was known as Kutkashen, but after the independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the city was renamed in honor of the much older city of Gabala.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The geographical location and mountainous relief of the city greatly influenced the formation of complex climatic conditions in the vertical arid region, as well as the density of the river network and the richness of land and vegetation cover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The facilitated and humid climatic conditions of the Gabala region led to the formation of a dense river network in the area. The city is rich in chestnut and hazelnut trees. The flora and fauna of the district are very rich. Deer, wild boars, rabbits, bears, wolves, foxes and numerous birds can be found in the forest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Gabala is an ideal tourist destination due to its combination of unusual spring climate, mountain scenery and diverse fauna. There are many world-class hotels and resorts, much of the Kafkaz hotel chain. The region’s natural climatic conditions create opportunities for summer and winter tourism development in the region. The northern side of Gabala belongs to the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus mountain range, the central part of the Alazan-Haftaran Valley, the southern part of the Ainohur Mountains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, Azerbaijan has the highest mountain peak in Azerbaijan – Bazarduz Mountain (4466 meters). Also in Gabala is the Ieddi Gozel waterfall. In translation, it means ‘seven beauties’ because of its seven phases of decline, but it also depicts the classic story of Nizami Ganjavi. The city also contains the Gabaland<\/a><\/strong><\/em> Amusement Park, a skating rink and Greek-style theater built specifically for concerts and outdoor events. Gabala also has several malls. The city is home to the Tufandag Ski Resort<\/a><\/strong><\/em>, which is rated as the best ski resort in Azerbaijan and one of the main in the Caucasus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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My dear adventurers, once again we have come to the end of our post. Time just flies so fast when you are having a good time!\u00a0At the end of this post, I would like to thank my friends from\u00a0National Tourism Promotion Bureau of Azerbaijan<\/a>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>and\u00a0Azerbaijan Airlines<\/a><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0for this incredible adventure and Qafqaz Thermal & Spa Resort Hotel Yengija<\/a><\/strong><\/em> for their huge efforts to\u00a0make our stay unforgettable and I felt like at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How do you like this post about National \nPark Gobustan? Have you maybe had a chance to visit Azerbaijan before? I\n would like to share with me your experience! In a couple of days we \nwill continue our adventure in Azerbaijan, and I will show you one \ninteresting Lahij village which I visited during my visit. Stay tuned!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have a question, comment, \nsuggestion or message for me, you can write me down in the comments. Of \ncourse, as always you can contact me via mail or social media, which you\n can find on the CONTACT<\/a><\/strong><\/em> page.
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Best,
<\/em>Mr.M<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P.S. If you want to know more about Azerbaijan you should read my other posts, I am sure you will find plenty of interesting tips and information about this incredible country:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n