Monuments of Nakhchivan
Trip Start
Unknown
1
3
5
Trip End
Ongoing
Nakhchivan,
Azerbaijan
Tuesday, February 7, 2006
FARHAD EVI (FARHAD'S HOUSE) - an archeological monument in Batabat palin, in the east of Bichenek village in Shahbuz region. It is on the right of Nakhchivan-Lachin-Yevlakh highway, and about 1 km to the east from Zorbulag.
There is a caravan way from Nakhchivan to Farhad evi. The station was built in Batabat plain that known as Farhad evi. In the Middle Ages as the traffic became more tense between Nakhchivan-Batabat, that's why one more caravanserai was constructed a little bit far in the north from Farhad evi. The local population called this place Shah Abbas caravanserai
ASHABI KAHF - means the "cave people" in Arabic, it is 12 km far away from Nakhchivan city, between Ilandagh ad Nahajir dagh. There is also the same name place in Small Asia or Palestine, and it was mentioned in ancient religious books, and Koran as well. According to legend in "Kahf" ("Cave") surah, the youth who wanted to get rid of the prosecution enter the cave together with the dog. Allah made them sleeps, and then woke them up hundreds of years later.
Customs House
The legend spread in Nakhchivan has approximately the same sense. By the order and patronage of the President of Azerbaijan Republic Heydar Aliyev, the restoration work is held here, the condition is developed for pilgrims, and the mosques are built. YUSIF IBN KUSEYR'S TOMB - one of the most ancient monuments in Nakhchivan. People call it also Atababa tomb. On the epitaph of the tomb, it was written that the tomb was built by the architect Ajami Nakhchivani son of Abubakr in 1162, and the name of the person who buried there is written on the stone as well. The ayahs (sentences) from Koran are written on the wall of the monument. The tomb consists of underground and eight-pointed surface. The underground is the tomb, and the surface is of monumental type like memorial monument. The ornaments are made of small bricks, and were fixed to the surfaces by means of cement substances.
MUMINE KHATUN TOMB - the huge monument of Azerbaijan national architecture, one of the Oriental pearls - Mumine Khatun tomb was built (architect Ajami Nakhchivani son of Abubakr) in 1186 in the western part of Nakhchivan. The founder of the Azerbaijani state of Eldenizler, Shamsaddin Eldeniz decided to built tomb on the grave of his wife Mumine Khatun, and his son Muhammed Jahan Pahlavan finished the construction work in Muharrem (month) in hijri 582 (the beginning of Moslem era from the 16th of June 622, that's). The local people also call it Atabeyler monument.
H.Aliyev Museum
On the head of the monument, the following words are written: "We are going, and only wind is left. We die, and only the work is kept."The total height of the monument was 34 m, and then 8 m out of its surface cover was destroyed. The tomb consists of the surface and underground parts. The tomb part is of ten-pointed shape. According to some other researchers, the tombs of the Head of Atabeyler state- Shamsaddin Eldeniz, his wife Mumine Khatun and his son Muhammed Jahan Pahlavan are all together placed in he monument. The tombstones of those buried there were robbed away. The tomb is of original structure, and is rich in design. Arcs are made from the central column to each of the corners. The same structure of the tomb lately was used in gothic architecture in the West. The outside of the tomb is of ten-pointed shape (each point surrounded with inscriptions), but inside it is round. Inside the dome of the tomb, there four round medallions with the names of the caliphs. The corners of the Mumine Khatun tomb made of burnt brick are of protuberance form, and the surface of the tomb is worked out like hollow.
Garabaghlar tomb - belongs to the middle Ages, and situated in the Garabaghlar village in Sharur region. The tomb is the monument. Besides Garabaghlar tomb there are also two minarets and building pieces among them. Both of the minarets are supposed to belong to late XII- early XIII centuries. And the arc connecting these minarets belongs to XIV century. The name of Head of the Elkhani state Hulaki khan's wife's name Guti khatun is written in the tombstone.
Husain Javid Monument
GILAN TOMB - belongs to Middle Ages, and is situated in Orduban region. In 1979, it was discovered in the place of the Kharabagilan city. It is sometimes called as "Gilan tomb" as well. The surface tower of the tomb was destroyed but the tomb is in good condition. The tomb is of eight pointed inside, and right-angled outside. The Gilan tomb differs from those with the eight-pointed corner in Azerbaijan and neighboring because of its cover and deep niche, which laid face-to-face the entrance door. The ceiling and floor, as well as the wall and central column are plastered with white substance. The destroyed tower left only with small pieces, is built of brick. Despite the fact that there are no inscriptions on the construction period of the tomb, but it is supposed to belong to XII century.
GULUSTAN TOMB - belongs to Middle Ages, near the Gulustan village in Julfa region. The Gulustan tomb built with the impact of Mumine Khatun tomb belongs to tower type tomb group in Azerbaijan. The 12-sided body of the tomb is built of red sand stone, and the original platform (in the shape of cut cornered cub) of planed stone. The surface of the tomb was decorated with hollow geometric ornaments, and decorative arcs. The joint place of the body to seats, and the passage to tower was surrounded with hollow bands of stalactite shape.
GULUSTAN KARVANSARA - this monument is also situated in Gulustan village of Julfa region, on the left bank of Araks River.
National Bank
The relicts of Gulustan Karvansara were discovered as a result of field-researches in 1974, in 1978 the building plan was completely cleared out. During the construction of Baku-Julfa railway (1939-1940), almost half of the Karvansara was destroyed. The researches prove that Gulustan Karvansara is the most beautiful and largest railway caravanserai among others in Azerbaijan. NAKHCHIVAN JUMA MOSQUE - this monument belongs to Middle Ages as well, and it was also constructed by architect Ajami Nakhchivani son of Abubakr, and is one the monuments of Atabeyler architecture complex. It was conserved in the destroyed condition by XIX century
Kohnegala - the Middle Ages settlement far from Shapurgala, near to Shahbuzkend in Shahbuz region. It was registered in 1990. Area is more than 10 ha. It is surrounded with precipitous cliffs. During the archeological exploration the clay pots pieces were discovered. The stonewall pieces in the southeast part of Kohnegala may be observed far from 150 m. The surface materials are iron, lion-off and lion earthenware pots and pieces of glass dishes. The settlements are supposed to belong to XIV-XVIII centuries.
ARCHEOLOGICAL RESEARCHES
Kora-koze - the Middle Ages settlement in the southwest of Sust village of Babek region. It was studied by Nakhchivan archeological expedition in 1979. Total area is about 3 ha. Some of the construction materials are left in the settlement area.
Theatre
The cultural layer is rich with ceramic products. The surface materials consist of pink colored common and lion pot pieces. The discoveries belong to XV-XVII centuries. Kohnegala - the Middle Ages settlement far from Shapurgala, near to Shahbuzkend in Shahbuz region. It was registered in 1990. Area is more than 10 ha. It is surrounded with precipitous cliffs. During the archeological exploration the clay pots pieces were discovered. The stonewall pieces in the southeast part of Kohnegala may be observed far from 150 km. The surface materials are iron, lion-off and lion earthenware pots and pieces of glass dishes. The settlements are supposed to belong to XIV-XVIII centuries
Kultepe - the Bronze Age settlement near Sadarak village in Sadarak region, has the total are of about 5 ha. The ceramic products pieces and stone labor tools were discovered in the area. The cultural layer consists of clay layer mixed with ashes, flint and obsidian pieces; the ashes pile and fireplaces were also discovered. The airbrick pieces, river stones and other construction materials were also discovered in the layer. A number of ceramic products - specially grey and red burnt clay pots patterns, colored pots with red ungobe cover and black decorations and so on were found out. According to discoveries Kultepe settlement is supposed to belong to III-I millenniums.
Gazma cave - is the Paleolithic period camp on 1500 meters above the sea level, on the left bank of Arpachay River, in 3 km far in the south-east from Tenenem village in Sharur region. The length of the cave is 22m, width 1.0-6.5m. It was discovered in 1987-90s with six layers. The total thickness of the deposits equals 3 m. As a result of excavations in 20 m2 territories, more than 12000 hunted animal bones and about 1000 obsidians, flints and labor tools of stone have been discovered in the area. Besides stone tools, bone awls, knives and carving tools were also discovered. Several fireplaces were noted in V and VI layers.
