Нахичевань: История и современность города

City in Azerbaijan

Nakhchivan ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of the eponymous Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, a true exclave of Azerbaijan, located 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, Qaraxanbəyli, Tumbul, Qarağalıq, and Daşduz. It is spread over the foothills of Zangezur Mountains, on the right bank of the Nakhchivan River at an altitude of above sea level.

The city's official Azerbaijani spelling is "Nakhchivan" The name is transliterated from Persian as Nakhjavan (نخجوان). The city's name is transliterated from Russian as Nakhichevan' (Нахичевань) and from Armenian as Nakhijevan
The city was first mentioned in Ptolemy's Geography as Naxuana (Ναξουὰνα, Naxuana). The older form of the name is Naxčawan According to philologist Heinrich Hübschmann, the name was originally borne by the city and later given to the surrounding region. It was probably under the influence of this tradition that the name changed in Armenian from the older Naxčawan to Naxijewan.

In the Armenian tradition, Nakhchivan was founded by Noah after the Flood, and was the place of his death and burial. According to the Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi, King Tigranes I of Armenia settled Median prisoners of war at Nakhchivan in the second century BC. Nakhchivan was destroyed by Shahanshah Shapur II in 363 and its Armenian and Jewish population was deported to Iran. Emperor Heraclius travelled through the city en route to Atropatene in 623 during the Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628.

The Arab siege of Nakhchivan in 650AD led Theodore Rshtuni to conclude a truce. Nakhchivan temporarily came under the control of the Bagratid Kingdom of Armenia in c. 900, but was swiftly taken by Muhammad ibn Abi'l Saj. The city and its surroundings were ruled either directly or indirectly by Zakarid Armenia from 1201 to 1350, but more often than not they only had partial independence and often were vassals of other Empires. In 1225, Nakhchivan was occupied by al Maleka al Jalāliya, daughter of Atabeg Muhammad Jahan Pahlavan. Genoese merchants were known to trade in the city by 1280. The city was conquered by Timur in 1401, but was taken by King George VII of Georgia in 1405.

Nakhchivan was conquered by Shahanshah Ismail I in 1503. Shahanshah Abbas I of Persia reconquered Nakhchivan from the Ottoman Empire in 1603–1604. Later the city served as the capital of the Nakhichevan Khanate. Nakhchivan Khanate was annexed to the Russian Empire per the Treaty of Turkmenchay in 1828. The city became the centre of the Nakhichevan uezd of the Erivan Governorate in 1849. 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. Turkey occupied Nakhchivan from June until November, and a military governor was appointed to administer Nakhchivan. however, some months later the city became the center of a regional Muslim uprising and pogrom against its Armenian inhabitants. 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. However, in March 1920, Turkish forces led by Kâzım Karabekir occupied Nakhchivan. The Treaty of Moscow of 16 March 1921, and later the Treaty of Kars of 21 October 1921, between Soviet Union and Turkey agreed that Nakhicheva would be an autonomous territory under the protection of Azerbaijan and delimited its borders with Turkey. 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. 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.

According to the State Statistics Committee of Azerbaijan, the number of population of city was 63,8 thousand in 2000. +The population of Nakhchivan (at the beginning of the year, thsd. persons)Population20002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019Nakhchivan town63,864,264,765,170,771,071,371,772,782,483,484,786,488,089,590,391,192,192,993,7Urban population63,864,264,765,170,771,071,371,772,773,773,875,476,878,379,580,280,981,882,683,2Rural population – – – – – – – – –8,79,69,39,69,710,010,110,210,310,310,5

+Ethnic composition of NakhchivanNationality1829–1832 census1897 census1916 almanac1926 census1939 censusNumber%Number%Number%Number%Number%Azerbaijanis3,62466.256,16170.096,02667.457,56773.4911,90175.83Armenians1,82533.362,26325.752,66529.831,06510.342,03312.95Russians00.002162.461471.651,37613.361,4209.05Kurds00.0020.0200.0060.06320.20Georgians170.31240.27720.81240.23190.12Others40.071241.41240.272582.512891.84TOTAL5,470100.008,790100.008,934100.0010,296100.0015,694100.00

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.

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. Many of the city's cultural sites were celebrated in 2018 when Nakhchivan was designated an Islamic Culture Capital.

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. 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.

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."

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.

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. 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.

The regional channels Naxçıvan TV and Kanal 35, and newspaper Sharg Gapisi are headquartered in the city.

Araz Naxçivan one of the top futsal clubs in the European futsal arena and regularly participates in UEFA Futsal Cup. Nakhchivan had one professional football team, Araz Naxçıvan, which competed in the top flight of Azerbaijani football, the Azerbaijan Premier League. In 2014, the city hosted Masters Weightlifting World Cup.

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. Another festival organized annually in Nakhchivan is associated with kata – 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.

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

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

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.

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

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 Azer Zeynalov, film director Rza Tahmasib, generals Huseyn Khan Nakhchivanski and Jamshid Nakhchivanski, artist Bahruz Kangarli and architect Ajami Nakhchivani.