Western Route: Ganja

THE CITY OF GANJA lies on the Ganja-Gazakh Lowland, on the banks of the Ganjachay River, which cuts the city in two. The boundary between two climate zones runs through here - moderately warm semi-deserts and dry steppes, and moderately warm. Population - 302 thousand people, distance from Baku - 375 km.

It is the second-largest city in Azerbaijan. Universities: Ganja State University, the Agricultural University (a branch of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan; the Cotton Growing Research Institute, an experimental agricultural station. A modern Olympic sports complex has been built.

Ganja is the birthplace of the world-famous poet NIZAMI GANJAVI, the poetess MAHSATI KHANUM, and MIRZA SHAFI VAZEH. There are many historical monuments here: the JUMA MOSQUE with its madrasa, the mausoleum of SHEIKH IBRAHIM, the GIZIL HAJILI, OZAN, BALA BAGBAN, SHARAFKHANLI and SHAHSEVAN mosques. The Large and Small bridges (12th century), complexes of caravanserais and structures - IMAMZADEH with its blue tiled domes, and the most beautiful old city baths (still in operation today). Be sure to visit the Mausoleum of Nizami Ganjavi, located at the entrance to the city.

Ganja is one of the most ancient cities and has played a major role in our country's history at various periods. The Arabs called this city Janza. Archaeologists have discovered ancient settlements on the site of Ganja dating back to the 2nd century BC, and numerous Bronze Age archaeological sites have been found around Ganja.

The very history of Ganja is a history of its destruction by invaders almost to the ground, followed by a brilliant revival. It was devastated by the Khazar-Arab wars, the Alans, the Mongols, Georgian princes, the Ottomans and the Safavids. In the 11th century the Christian head of the Albanians moved his residence to Ganja from ruined Barda. Christianity and Islam coexisted peacefully in Ganja, and goods from eastern countries travelled through the city along caravan routes to the Black Sea region.

In the 12th century Ganja was the capital and residence of feudal rulers, but at the same time the city suffered two very powerful earthquakes - in 1139 Ganja was destroyed by one of these earthquakes, and about 250 thousand people died. One of the peaks of Mount Kapaz collapsed, blocking the bed of the Agsu River and forming Lake Goygol.

In the 17th century the city was moved 6 km to the east. At the beginning of the 18th century the city again endured attacks by conquerors, but by the middle of that century it had become the centre of the Ganja Khanate, which existed until its capture by Russia. In 1804 the defence of Ganja against the superior forces of the Russian army ended with the heroic death of Javad Khan of Ganja on the city walls. After this Ganja was renamed Elizavetpol (1804) in honour of the Russian empress.

During the collapse of the Russian Empire, in 1918, Ganja was for several months the capital of the independent Azerbaijan Republic. A military officers' school was established here at that time. In 1935 Ganja was renamed Kirovabad. Ganja got its original name back only in 1989, on the threshold of Azerbaijan's independence and the collapse of the USSR.

Today around Ganja lies the HAJIKAND resort area, with a large number of tourist routes, guesthouses, tourist camps and holiday homes.

The "GOYGOL" State Nature Reserve is Azerbaijan's first nature reserve, established in 1925 to protect and study the ecosystems of the mid-mountain forest belt and part of the subalpine belt of the Lesser Caucasus, as well as the mountain lakes Goygol, Maralgol, Zaligol and others. The reserve's area is taken up by forests and mountain meadows.

Lake Goygol lies south of Ganja, on the northern slopes of Murovdag, at an altitude of 1566 metres, and is considered the pearl of Azerbaijan's lakes. The reserve consists of two areas - the main one and a branch called "ELDAR PINE GROVE" - this is the first nature reserve in the Caucasus. The distance between them is 80-85 km.

The city has its own museum of history and local lore, whose exhibits include interesting Bronze Age finds. Ganja also has a Drama Theatre and a Children's Puppet Theatre.