North-Western Route: Ismayilli

The territory of ISMAYILLI DISTRICT covers three of Azerbaijan's 9 climate zones: moderately warm with a dry winter, moderately warm with evenly distributed precipitation (on the plains), and cold with a humid winter in the mountains. The district's terrain is mainly mountainous. The nature here is very beautiful: forested mountains, cliffs, rivers (GIRDIMAN, AGOKH, GOYCHAY), waterfalls (GALAJIG, 50 m high; CHAYGOVUSHAN, 30 m high; ISTISU, 25 m high; BUROVDAL, 50 m high; MUDRUSA, 25 m high). There are three natural lakes at an altitude of 3500 m near BABADAG mountain and three artificial ones near the villages of KURDMASHI and ASHIGBAYRAMLI. They are not only beautiful but also good fishing spots.

The district is home to the "ISMAYILLI" nature reserve, established in 1981. Its area is 5778 ha. Its two sections, Topchu and Galinja, lie 1 km apart. Galinja is at an altitude of 650 metres and was created to protect the chestnut-leaved oak. The reserve's forests cover 5021 ha, and 227 ha are subalpine meadows. There are more than 40 species of trees and shrubs and 170 species of vertebrates: deer, wild goats, Dagestan tur, wild boar, bears, wolves, foxes, hares and others.

This district has entered the history of Russian literature: the dastan about Ashig Garib, which M.Yu. Lermontov heard in the local village of Tirja from ashig (folk singer) Oruj and ashig Lezgi Ahmad, became the basis of his poem "Ashik-Kerib".

Besides the titular nation, Azerbaijanis, representatives of other peoples and ethnic groups have long lived in this district. These are Lezgins, Jews, Russians (Molokans living in the village of Ivanovka), Lahij people (Iranian-speaking) and Khinalug-related Hapyt people (descendants of the ancient Albanians).

Ismayilli District has preserved old traditions of crafts and applied art. Carpet weaving (the villages of GALAJIG and TAZAKAND), making embossed copper tableware and weapons, leatherwork, blacksmithing, and wood and metal carving (the village of LAHIJ, with many shops and workshops along its main street) are well developed. In the village of BASGAL they make the national women's silk headscarves, KELAGAYI, with block-printed patterns.

Historical and cultural reserves have been set up in LAHIJ and BASGAL, where many monuments are under state protection: the BEDOYA ZEVERO mosque (1791), the AGALI mosque, the ZEVERO spring, and a MOSQUE AND BATHHOUSE (18th c.).

Other monuments include the MAIDEN TOWER (17th c.) in the village of KHANAGA, the FITDAG tower (18th c.) in the village of SULUT and many other archaeological sites. Interestingly, the locals link the Fitdag tower to a legend about Alexander the Great, who supposedly stopped here, while his heralds sounded signals on golden trumpets from the mountaintop ("fit" means "signal" or "whistle" in Azerbaijani).

On top of another mountain, on the left bank of the GIRDIMAN river near the village of TALISTAN, lie the ruins of a fortress where, according to legend, Javanshir, one of the rulers of Caucasian Albania (7th c.), lived. The village of Sulut also preserves the GIRKHOTAG fortress, the KHARAM tower, the KHIRAKI defensive wall and the JUMA MOSQUE.

THE TOWN OF ISMAYILLI is the administrative centre of Ismayilli District. Population: 74100 people; distance from Baku: 185 km.