Nakhchivan (city)

Nakhchivan Naxçıvan
City
Nakhchivan
Coordinates: 39°12′58″N 45°24′38″E / 39.21611°N 45.41056°E / 39.21611; 45.41056Coordinates: 39°12′58″N 45°24′38″E / 39.21611°N 45.41056°E / 39.21611; 45.41056
Country	Azerbaijan
Autonomous Republic	Nakhchivan
Area
• Total	190 km2 (70 sq mi)
Elevation	873 m (2,864 ft)
Population  (2020)[1]
• Total	94,500
Demonym(s)	Nakhchivanly
Time zone	UTC+4 (AZT)
Website	ih.nakhchivan.az

Nakhchivan (Azerbaijani: Naxçıvan, pronounced [nɑ̝χt͡ʃɘˈvɑ̝n], Armenian: Նախիջևան, romanized: Nakhijevan; Persian: نخجوان‎, romanized: Nakhjewan, Russian: Нахичевань, romanized: Nakhichevan) is the capital of the eponymous Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan, located 450 km (280 mi) west of Baku. The municipality of Nakhchivan consists of the city of Nakhchivan, the settlement of Əliabad and the villages of Başbaşı, Bulqan, Haciniyyət, Qaraçuq (Garachug), Qaraxanbəyli (Garakhanbeyli), Tumbul, Qarağalıq, and Daşduz.^[2] It is spread over the foothills of Zangezur Mountains, on the right bank of the Nakhchivan River at an altitude of 873 m (2,864 ft) above sea level.

Since 9 June 2009, the Bulqan, Qaraçuq, Qaraxanbəyli, Tumbul and Haciniyyət villages of the Babek District are included in the scope of the administrative-territorial unit of the Nakhchivan city.^[3]

Toponymy[]

The city's official Azerbaijani spelling is Nakhchivan (Azerbaijani: Naxçıvan),^[4][5] so is the Persian spelling (Persian: نخجوان‎).^[6][7] In Armenian and Russian, the city's name is spelled as Nakhichevan (Armenian: Նախիջևան, romanized: Naxiǰewan, Russian: Нахичевань).^{[8][9][10][11]}

The city was first mentioned in Ptolemy's Geography as Naxuana (Ancient Greek: Ναξουὰνα, Latin: Naxuana), while the Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi referred to it as Ijevan.^[12]

According to an interpretation by the Jewish historian Josephus Flavius, the Armenian name of Nakhjavan means "the place of the first landing." He wrote that the city of Nakhchivan was built at the foot of a mountain, to the top of which Noah's Ark landed during the Biblical flood.^[13][14]

Russo-German linguist Max Vasmer argued that Nakhchivan was originally named Nakhjavan, which was the result of the combination of the Armenian Νaχič, and the Old Persian avan, latter meaning "a place".^{[clarification needed]} Later on, the Turkic peoples migrating to the region transformed the sound dʒ to tʃ, which led to the formation of the Nakhchivan variant of the name.^[15] German philologist Heinrich Hübschmann also agrees with this interpretation.^[16] According to Harrison Gray Otis Dwight, Nakhchivan derives from the composition of nakh ("first" in Armenian) and ichevan ("resting-place" or "descent" in Armenian), thus translates to "first resting-place" or "first descent".^[17]

History[]

Classical period[]

Local tradition states that Nakhchivan was founded by Noah after the Flood, and was his place of death and burial.^[17] According to Saint Movses Khorenatsi, King Tigranes I of Armenia settled Median prisoners of war at Nakhchivan in the second century BC.^[18] Nakhchivan is first mentioned in Ptolemy's Geographia as Naxouana (Greek: Ναξουὰνα).^[18]

Nakhchivan was destroyed by Shahanshah Shapur II in 363 and its Armenian and Jewish population was deported to Iran.^[19] Emperor Heraclius travelled through the city en route to Atropatene in 623 during the Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628.^[20]

Medieval period[]

The Arab siege of Nakhchivan in 650 led Theodore Rshtuni to conclude a truce.^[19] After the rebellion of 703, Muhammad ibn Marwan had the rebel nobles burnt alive in churches in Nakhchivan and Goghtn in 705.^[19][21] Nakhchivan temporarily came under the control of the Kingdom of Armenia in c. 900, but was swiftly taken by Muhammad ibn Abi'l-Saj.^[18] The city was the temporary refuge of Atabeg Nusrat al-Din Abu Bakr after his defeat at the Battle of Shamkor in 1195, and Nakhchivan was conquered by the Kingdom of Georgia in 1197.^[22]

In 1225, Nakhchivan was ruled by al-Maleka al-Jalāliya, daughter of Atabeg Muhammad Jahan Pahlavan.^[18] Genoese merchants were known to trade in the city by 1280.^[23] The city was conquered by Timur in 1401,^[24] but was taken by King George VII of Georgia in 1405.^[25]

Modern period[]

Nakhchivan was conquered by Shahanshah Ismail I in 1503.^[26] Shahanshah Abbas I of Persia reconquered Nakhchivan from the Ottoman Empire in 1603–1604.^[27]

Nakhchivan was annexed to the Russian Empire per the Treaty of Turkmenchay in 1828.^[28] The city became the centre of the Nakhchivan Uyezd in the Erivan Governorate in 1849.^[28] In 1896, Nakhchivan had a population of 7,433, roughly two-thirds of which were Azeri-speaking Muslims and one-third Armenian Christians.^[18]

After the February Revolution of 1917, a soviet was formed in Nakhchivan, but the city was under the control of the Special Transcaucasian Committee from March to November 1917, and its successor the Transcaucasian Commissariat from November 1917 to March 1918.^[29] Turkey occupied Nakhchivan from June until November,^[29] after which the city was occupied by British soldiers in January 1919,^[30] and a military governor was appointed to administer Nakhchivan.^[29]

It was decided that Nakhchivan would be granted to Armenia on 6 April 1919, and the city was annexed on 6 June 1919.^[31] Britain, France, Italy, and the US, with approval from Armenia and Azerbaijan, agreed on 25 October 1919 to appoint American Colonel Edmond D. Daily as General-Governor of Nakhchivan, elections would be held, and both Armenia and Azerbaijan would withdraw its forces from the territory.^[32] However, in March 1920, Turkish forces led by Kâzım Karabekir occupied Nakhchivan.^[30]

Soviet Russia took control of Nakhchivan on 28 July 1920, and the city became part of the newly formed Nakhchivan Soviet Socialist Republic.^[33] The Treaty of Moscow of 16 March 1921, and later the Treaty of Kars of 21 October 1921, between Russia and Turkey agreed that Nakhchivan would be an autonomous territory under the protection of Azerbaijan and delimited its borders with Turkey.^[34][35] In February 1923, the city formed part of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Krai within the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic (ASSR), but later became the capital of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic within the ASSR in March 1924.^[33]

When Azerbaijan declared independence from the Soviet Union, Nakhchivan remained part of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Following the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, a trilateral ceasefire was signed between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia. According to the agreement, Azerbaijan will gain a road access to Nakchivan through Armenia which will be secured by Russian peacekeepers.^[36]

Ecclesiastical history[]

The bishop of Mardpetakan resided at Nakhchivan,^[19] and the Armenian historian Tovma Artsruni records Sahak Vahevuni as bishop of Nakhchivan and Mardpetakan and brother of Apusahak Vahevuni.^[37]

Geography[]

The city is spread over the foothills of Zangezur chain, on the right bank of the at an altitude of almost 1,000 m (3,300 ft).

The floods and soil erosion spiked because of the decreased forest cover along riverbanks.^[38] As a result, reforestation projects implemented in the city to encourage tree planting.^[38]

Climate[]

Nakhchivan has a continental semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk) with short but cold, snowy winters and long, dry, very hot summers.

Population[]

According to the State Statistics Committee of Azerbaijan, the number of population of city was 63,8 thousand in 2000.^[40]

The population of Nakhchivan (at the beginning of the year, thsd. persons)

Population	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
Nakhchivan town	63,8	64,2	64,7	65,1	70,7	71,0	71,3	71,7	72,7	82,4	83,4	84,7	86,4	88,0	89,5	90,3	91,1	92,1	92,9	93,7
Urban population	63,8	64,2	64,7	65,1	70,7	71,0	71,3	71,7	72,7	73,7	73,8	75,4	76,8	78,3	79,5	80,2	80,9	81,8	82,6	83,2
Rural population	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	8,7	9,6	9,3	9,6	9,7	10,0	10,1	10,2	10,3	10,3	10,5

Demography[]

The composition of population of Nakhchivan city

Ethnic group	1829–1832 Census	1897 Census[41]	1926 Census[42]	1939 Census[43]
Total	5 470	8 790	10 296	15 694
Azerbaijanis	3 624	6 161	7 567	11 901
Armenians	1 825	2 263	1 065	2 033
Russians	...	216	1 376	1 420[44]
Georgians	17	24	24	19
Kurds	...	2	6	32
Others	4	124	258	289

Economy[]

This section needs expansion. You can help by . (November 2014)

Traditionally, Nakhchivan was home to trade industry, handicraft, shoemaking and hatmaking by Azerbaijanians. These industries have been largely replaced. The restoration enterprises and development industry, liberalization of foreign trade and the extension of the customs infrastructure, which has been largely responsible for Nakchivan's growth in the last two decades, are now major parts of Nakchivan's economy.^[45]

Culture[]

The city has a wide range of cultural activities, amenities and museums. Heydar Aliyev Palace, which has a permanent local painting exhibition and a theatre hall for an audience of 1000 people, and a recently restored Soviet-time Opera Theatre where the Nakhchivan State Musical Drama Theatre realises theatre plays, concerts, musicals and opera.^[46]

Many of the city's cultural sites are expected to be celebrated in 2018 when Nakhchivan was designated an Islamic Culture Capital.^[47]

Architecture[]

The city is home Momine Khatun Mausoleum, Gulustan Mausoleum, Noah's Mausoleum, Garabaghlar Mausoleum, Yusif ibn Kuseyir Mausoleum, Imamzadeh mausoleum and Mausoleum of Huseyn Javid mausoleums.^[48]

The main sight in the city is the heavily restored 12th-century Momine Khatun Mausoleum, also known as Atabek Gumbezi. Momine Khatun was the wife of Eldegizid Atabek Jahan Pahlivan, ruler of the Atabek Eldegiz emirate. The 10-sided monument is decorated with intricate geometrical motives and Kufic script, it uses turquoise glazed bricks. It shares the neighbourhood with a statue of its architect – Ajami Nakhchivani – and a bust of Heydar Aliyev. Also from the 12th century and by the same architect, is the octagonal Yusuf Ibn Kuseir tomb, known as Atababa, half abandoned near the main cemetery.

In 1993, the white marble mausoleum of Hussein Javid was built. The Azerbaijani writer died in the Gulag during Joseph Stalin's Great Purge. Both the mausoleum and his house museum are located east of the theatre. Although being a recent construction, Huseyn Javid's mausoleum is of great iconic importance, representing the ability of the exclave to live despite the Armenian embargo and becoming a symbol of Nakhchivan itself.

The mausoleums of Nakhchivan were entered for possible inclusion in the List of World Heritage Sites, UNESCO in 1998 by Gulnara Mehmandarova – president of Azerbaijan Committee of ICOMOS—International Council on Monuments and Sites.^[49]

Cuisine[]

It has been suggested that this section be split out into another article titled . (Discuss) (November 2020)

Nakchivan’s signature cuisine includes shirin plov (sweet rice with gravy; made with mutton, hazelnuts, almonds and dried fruits), dastana, komba, tendir lavash and galin.

Lavash is made with flour, water, and salt. The thickness of the bread varies depending on how thin it was rolled out. Toasted sesame seeds and/or poppy seeds are sometimes sprinkled on before baking. It is impossible to imagine any table without bread in Azerbaijan and also in Nakhchivan. In connection with this, the assortment of bread in Nakhchivan is different; the tendir lavash as thin as paper, galin (thick), dastana, and komba (ash cake). If prepared to saj it was called lavash, "Juha salmag" – spread Juha, lavash bread on saj, and if prepared in the tandir, the "llavash yapmag" lavash bread stick. The fact is that it was necessary to stick lavash bread on the hot inner walls of the tandir. it is impossible to fight with lavash bread, as the proverb reads "Gyaldi lavash – Bitdili Savas" – "Came lavash – the end of the war". There are many people’s ideological expressions about lavash "Yavash-yavash -pendir- lavash " "Quietly (slow) – cheese lavash " or "Khamrali hash – bagryna bass", "Khamraliev" (kind of bread) push to the chest, i.e. . lavash bread – eat slowly. "Of lavash folk sandwiches are made in a roll shape – durmek. In the village where children ran out to play or school they were supplied with these sandwiches. Inside durmeks – rolls was put butter and jam, cheese, cottage cheese and butter, cheese with herbs, potatoes, boiled eggs, etc."^[50]

Sacrificial monument Ashabi-Kahf[]

Ashabi-Kahf is a sanctuary in a natural cave which is located in the eastern part of the city of Nakhchivan, between the mountains of Ilandag and Nahajir in Azerbaijan.Since ancient times Ashabi-Kahf is considered as a sacred place.It is known not only in Nakhchivan, but also in other regions of Azerbaijan and countries of the Middle East.Each year ten thousands of people make a pilgrimage to this place.^{[citation needed]}

Touristic place of Batabat Lake[]

Batabat Lake is in the Shahbuz district of Nakhchivan, in the basin of the Nakhchivan River and covers an area of 16.0 hectares. The local climate and landscape are favourable for the creation of tourist and recreation facilities. The existing meadows, clean, life-giving air, natural forests and bushes, fresh water streams (Zorbulag and Sudlubulag) and mineral water springs surely demand the creation of a leisure and tourism zone. Conditions are very favourable for the treatment of cardiac diseases and diseases of the nervous system.^[51]

Museums and galleries[]

The city also has many historical museums, the literature museum of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Nakhchivan State History Museum, The Nakhchivan State Carpet Museum, and the house museums of Jamshid Nakhchivanski and Bahruz Kangarli.^[52] There is also an archaeological museum found on Istiqlal street. The city has a few interesting mosques, particularly the Juma mosque, with its large dome.

Modern museums in Nakchivan include the Museum under Open Air, Heydar Aliyev Museum and the Memorial Museum (Xatıra Muzeyi), dedicated to the national strife between Armenia and Azerbaijan.^[53]

Music and media[]

The regional channels Naxçıvan TV and Kanal 35, and newspaper are headquartered in the city.^[54]

Sports[]

Araz Naxçivan one of the top futsal clubs in the European futsal arena and regularly participates in UEFA Futsal Cup.^[55][56][57]

Nakhchivan had one professional football team, Araz-Naxçıvan, which competed in the top-flight of Azerbaijani football, the Azerbaijan Premier League.^[58]

In 2014, the city hosted Masters Weightlifting World Cup.^[59]

Festivals[]

Nakhchivan is known for its "Goyja" fruit, sort of a cherry-plum, and hosts a traditional Goyja festival at the Nakhchivangala Historical-Architectural Museum Complex. Products made from goyja—jam, compote (drink), pickles, dried, lavasha (bread) – are shown at the festival.^[60][61]

Another festival organized annually in Nakhchivan is associated with kata (Azerbaijani: kətə) – flat pie with greens, which is made with shomu (wild spinach), mixed greens, desert candle, pumpkin, asphodel, nettle, bean or lentil in a dough wrapped in the shape of an envelope and cooked in a tandir. Kata festival is aimed to show and promote the preparation manner of various types of the kata specific to different regions of NAR. The festival is held at the Historical-Architectural Museum Complex "Nakhchivangala" in April.^{[62][63][64][65]}

Education[]

There are 3 professional, 6 musical, 22 secondary schools and a military cadet school in Nakhchivan administered by the city council.^[66]

Universities and colleges[]

Nakhchivan is home to numerous universities:

• Nakhchivan State University
• Nakhchivan Private University
• Nakhchivan Teachers Institute

Transport[]

Public transport[]

Nakhchivan's trolleybus system consisted of three lines at its height and existed until 2004.^[67]

Air[]

Nakhchivan International Airport is the only commercial airport serving Nakhchivan. The airport is connected by bus to the city center. There are domestic flights to Baku and international service to Russia and Turkey.

Rail[]

Currently, a light rail line operates from Nakhchivan southeast to Ordubad and northwest to Sharur.^[68]

Notable residents[]

The city's notable residents include: president of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, Huseyn Javid – poet and playwright, founder of the progressive romanticism in Azerbaijani literature, writer Jalil Mammadguluzadeh, opera singer , film director Rza Tahmasib, generals Huseyn Khan Nakhchivanski and Jamshid Nakhchivanski, artist Bahruz Kangarli and architect Ajami Nakhchivani.^[69]

• 

  Heydar Aliyev, was the longest serving political leader in Azerbaijan.

• 

  Huseyn Javid, was the founder of the progressive romanticism in Azerbaijani literature.

• 

  Jalil Mammadguluzadeh, was an Azerbaijani satirist and writer.

• 

  Abdurrahman Fatalibeyli, was a Soviet army major who defected to the German forces during World War II.

• 

  Khetcho, Armenian activist, combatant and one of key supporter of the Iranian Constitutional Revolution

• 

  Jamshid Nakhchivanski, was a Russian Imperial, Azerbaijani and Soviet military commander.

• 

  Alirza Rasizade, educator, revolutionary, statesman (1884–1923)

• 

  Bahruz Kangarli, the founder of realistic easel painting of Azerbaijan.

• 

  Rza Tahmasib, film director and actor.

• 

  Huseyn Khan Nakhchivanski, was the only Muslim to serve as General-Adjutant of the Russian Emperor.

• 

  Nazli Najafova, pioneering educator of women and girls.

• 

  Ali M. Hasanov, serves as the National Adviser to the President of Azerbaijan.

• 

  Agil Mammadov, footballer.

International relations[]

Twin towns[]

Nakhchivan is twinned with various cities.

• Batumi, Georgia, (since 2012)^[70]

Gallery[]

• 

  Palace of Nakhchivan Khans

• 

  Face Pattern of the Momine Khatun Mausoleum

• 

  Nakhchivan City coat of arms under Imperial Russia (designed in 1843)

• 

  The aerial view of the city 2006

• 

  Monument for the Azerbaijani language

• 

  Garabaghlar Mausoleum

• 

  Nakhchivan City centre

See also[]

• Nakhchivan Khanate - Turkic Khanate which ruled over the region in 18th century

References[]

Bibliography[]

• Bernardini, Michele (2000). "GENOA". Encyclopaedia Iranica.
• Blankinship, Khalid Yahya (1994). The End of the Jihad State: The Reign of Hisham Ibn 'Abd al-Malik and the Collapse of the Umayyads. State University of New York Press.
• Bosworth, C. Edmund (2013). "NAḴJAVĀN". Encyclopaedia Iranica.
• Chaumont, M. L. (1986). "ARMENIA AND IRAN ii. The pre-Islamic period". Encyclopaedia Iranica.
• Hille, Charlotte Mathilde Louise (2010). State Building and Conflict Resolution in the Caucasus. BRILL.
• Lanser, Richard D. (2007). An Armenian Perspective on the Search for Noah's Ark (PDF). Associates for Biblical Research.
• Lint, Theo van (2018). "Nakhchivan". The Oxford Dictionary of Late Antiquity, ed. Oliver Nicholson. Oxford University Press.
• Rayfield, Donald (2013). Edge of Empires: A History of Georgia. Reaktion Books.
• Thomas, David; Mallett, Alexander; Roggema, Barbara (2010). Christian-Muslim Relations. A Bibliographical History. Volume 2 (900–1050). BRILL.

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Naxçıvan (city).

• Nakhchivan Guide
• Nakhchivan Portal
• Nakhchivan (as Naxçıvan) at GEOnet Names Server
• World Gazetteer: Azerbaijan^{[dead link]} – World-Gazetteer.com