You can’t get around, it’s not easy to fly on an airplane. Therefore, the trip here was postponed until better times.
Garbage bins.
Trash dumpsters.
Front address signs.
Front entrance address signs.
Poster stand.
An advertising pillar.
The word “design” is read on the hatches.
An alternate spelling of “design.”
Each gas pipe has a round seal. Probably some kind of Iranian-made unit.
Every gas pipe has a round contraption attached to it. Some sort of Iranian-made fitting, it seems.
High voltage.
The outskirts are unkempt.
The unpolished outskirts.
TV dishes.
Satellite TV dishes.
As in Baku, it is customary here to add as many meters to your apartment as you can afford. It doesn't matter which floor. Neighbors above and below participate in a program to expand their living space as they become richer.
Like in Baku, it’s common practice to build on extensions to apartments here, their size limited only by how much one can afford. It doesn’t matter which floor the apartment is on. Upstairs and downstairs neighbors participate in the square footage expansion program to the best of their financial ability.
It's interesting that everything road signs duplicated on asphalt.
It’s interesting to note that all the traffic signs are also painted on the road surface.
It’s also interesting that they use this to collect condensate from air conditioners. plastic bottles, exactly like in Male.
It’s also interesting that plastic bottles are used here to collect AC condensate, just like in Malé .
Unfortunately, by this point all the fun was over.
Unfortunately, at this point all the interesting things had run out.
It was two o'clock in the afternoon. Out of idleness, I went and looked at the local stunted landmark.
It was two in the afternoon. Finding nothing better to do, I went to see the lackluster local attraction.
I drove up and down the city three times.
Drove up and down the city three times.
And I realized that I couldn’t stand another day here. I had a ticket for the day after tomorrow, but the melancholy was serious. And I went to the Air Ticket Office. She's here alone. There was a crowd of a hundred people standing in front of the building, signing up for a queue. There are still as many people inside the building. At first I couldn’t log in, so I got my three-digit number and sat down under a tree to spin around.
And realized I couldn’t bear to spend another day here. My return ticket was for the day after next, but I was already bored to tears. So off I went to the airline ticket office. There’s only one for all the airlines here. A hundred people were crowding to register for the queue outside; another hundred were waiting inside. I wasn’t able to get in at first; I received my three-digit number and sat down under a tree to wallow in my sorrow.
Good people began to ask how and why. I say, I want to fly away today. So go to the cops, tell them what you need today, they answer. I came up and it worked.
Kind people began to inquire about my troubles. I want, I said, to fly out today. So go up to the cops and tell them you need to leave today, they replied. I did—and it worked.
The system inside is like this: there are ten cashiers, each responsible for one direction. One sells tickets only to Moscow, another to Istanbul, the third to Baku. I ran from one to the other until it turned out that there were tickets to Baku tonight.
— :-)
— Only business class remains.
— :-(
— Costs 99 $.
— :-)
The system inside works like this: there are ten cashiers, each of whom is responsible for one destination. One sells tickets only to Moscow, another to Istanbul, a third to Baku. I ran around from one to the next until I found out that there were tickets to Baku available for that night.
“:-)”
“We only have business class left.”
“:-(”
“It's $99.”
“:-)”
No, no, not Nakhichevan.
Anything, anything but Nakhchivan.
Nakhchivan(Also Nakhchivan, Nakhchivan) is a small city in Azerbaijan, located in the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic, cut off from the main territory of the country by the territory of Armenia. Population – about 75 thousand people (2013).
The city is located approximately 400 kilometers southwest of Baku, 150 kilometers southeast of Yerevan, near the Iranian border.
German linguist Max Vasmer claims that the city's name comes from the merger Armenian words: “nakhich” - a proper name - and “avan”, which translated means “town”. According to legend, the city was founded by Noah, and its name is associated with the “landing place” of the ark.
You are unlikely to find any particularly unique attractions for which it is worth flying a couple of thousand kilometers to find yourself in Nakhichevan. Rare foreign tourists usually visit the Khan's Palace, several ancient mausoleums and tombs. The city itself is nothing interesting in architectural terms - ordinary impersonal box houses, lined with tiles and glass or covered with siding. In the center everything is “polished” and ennobled, on the outskirts it is simpler.
History of Nakhchivan
Persian and Armenian sources claim that the city of Nakhichevan was founded back in the 16th century BC. The first mention of Nakhichevan dates back to the 2nd century AD. For several centuries the city was subject to raids and conquests. In the 11th century, Nakhichevan became the residence of the Seljuk Sultan, and a century later - the capital of the Great Azerbaijani Atabeks from the Ildegizid dynasty.
In the 13th and 14th centuries, respectively, the city was ravaged by the Mongols and Tamerlane. Then Nakhichevan was restored, and its heyday began. In the 18th-19th centuries, the city became the capital of the Nakhichevan Khanate, and in 1827 it was occupied by Russian troops, and a year later Nakhichevan became part of the Armenian region.
In a referendum in 1921, 90% of the population supported joining Azerbaijan as an autonomous republic, and since 1924 the city became the capital of the Nakhichevan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. During the Soviet era, the city was reconstructed and built up.
Last changes: 07.08.2014Sights of Nakhchivan
Tomb of Yusif ibn Kuseir (Yusif Küseyir oğlu türbəsi)- a 12th century building created by the architect Adjemi ibn Abubekr Nakhchivani. The tomb is composed of eight sides, and is crowned with a pyramidal roof. This is one of the oldest monuments in the city.
Mausoleum of Momine Khatun (Mömünə xatun türbəsi)- This great job the same famous architect Ajami Nakhchivani. The height of the mausoleum, built in the 12th century, previously reached 34 meters, but now its height is only 25 meters. The mausoleum was built for the wife of ruler Jahan Pahlavan.
, also known as Tomb of the Prophet Nuh (Nuh payğəmbərin türbəsi)— located in the southern part of the city on the territory Old Fortress(Kökhnya-galy). It was built in 2006 on the remains of an ancient temple. The crypt of this tomb is believed to contain the relics of Noah.
Khan's Palace– attraction more late period, it was built in the 18th century. It was created by the father of the last of the Nakhichevan khans. Until the 20th century, khans lived in it, and since 1998 the palace has housed the Carpet Museum.
How to get to Nakhchivan
Nakhichevan has an airport located 4 km from the city, which receives flights from Moscow, Kyiv, Ganja, Baku, and Istanbul. From Russian capital Only UTair airline flies here non-stop on Mondays; travel time is 3 hours 15 minutes.
Last changes: 08/07/2014According to the constitution, Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic is considered an independent state within Azerbaijan, from whose main territory it is separated by occupied territory and
Ancient history of the region
People have been living in the territory of Transcaucasia since ancient times, which means that Nakhichevan has rich history. The first mention of this region appears in Ptolemy's story about the city of Naxuan, known today as Nakhichevan and the capital of the autonomous republic.
For many generations, the life of the region has been inextricably linked with the biblical story of Noah and his ark.
The German philological tradition traces the name of the city to the ancient Armenian prefix “nakh” and the word “idjevan”, which translates as “landing place”. For many centuries local residents showed travelers the remains Noah's Ark. And although the existence of the ark does not find material evidence, the antiquity of the city is considered proven. According to archaeological data and philological sources, it can be assumed that the history of the city of Nakhichevan dates back about three and a half millennia.
The territory in which the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic is located was under the rule of many states, among which were Urartu, the Empire of Alexander the Great and the Achaemenid Empire. Also in this territory there were several Armenian states, such as the country of Tigran the Great and the Kingdom of Ani. Even the Mongols reached these places and left behind incredible destruction, documented by Europeans, among whom was the papal ambassador Rubruk, a Franciscan monk who, at the insistence of King Louis lX, visited the Mongol Empire.
Azerbaijan: Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic
When Nakhchivan and surrounding lands came under control Russian Empire, active migration of Armenian families began to the region, who, as it seemed to them, were returning to their historical homeland after their forced relocation to central part Persia on the initiative of Shah Abbas l, who conquered the country in the 15th century.
For the first time, the growing tension became known from the words of Griboedov, who visited Nakhichevan on his way to Persia. Since then, the Nakhichevan Autonomous Region, which today consists of Azerbaijanis, has experienced a lot difficult years conflicts on religious and ethnic grounds.
Current state of affairs
The Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic, whose national composition had changed over several centuries, came to the end of the twentieth century with disappointing results. Ethnic diversity has always been distinctive feature these regions, but as a result of numerous conflicts that shook the region with the collapse Soviet Union, the composition of the population changed beyond recognition and representatives of almost all nationalities living in the republic left it. By 2009, more than 99% of the population were Azerbaijanis and 0.3% Kurds, who traditionally lived in Transcaucasia.
The Azerbaijani authorities are trying in every possible way to erase the memory of the Armenian presence in this republic, not even stopping at physical destruction architectural monuments Armenian culture. One of the most bright examples The destruction of the Armenian cemetery in Julfa is considered, which was destroyed despite protests from the world community and UNESCO.
Administrative division and self-government
The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is part of Azerbaijan as a self-governing territory, the status of which is determined by the constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
From an administrative point of view, the autonomous republic consists of seven districts and one city - the capital Nakhchivan. In addition to historical reasons, the autonomy of the republic also finds its basis in geographical isolation.
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
The Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic became the scene of struggle between Azerbaijan and Armenia in 1992, when the Azerbaijani military was fired upon. The situation was then so acute that Turkey had to open artillery fire on the Armenian troops to prevent the capture of Nakhichevan by the Armenian army, at the same time Iran began near the border with the Nakhichevan Republic to warn Armenia against the undesirability of a new offensive.
From great war the region was held by Russian peacekeepers and Heydar Aliyev’s desire to strengthen his political power through the conclusion of peace with Armenia.
Economic problems and development prospects
Due to numerous ethnic conflicts, the Transcaucasian region is an almost impassable territory divided by closed borders. This state of affairs cannot but affect economic life countries Nakhchivan Republic is going through a protracted economic crisis, caused by the energy and economic blockade by Armenia, which, in turn, is blocked by Turkey and Azerbaijan.
The situation, however, is mitigated by the fact that Iran, which is rightfully considered one of the most powerful states region, takes a neutral position in numerous disputes. This allows him to provide economic and humanitarian assistance to both Armenia and the Nakhchivan Republic.
The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic managed to maintain its autonomy thanks to active shuttle trade with neighboring Turkey.
Nakhichevan is a city with a special flavor, which has absorbed several different cultures and characteristic features, and became something of a kind of reconciliation between them. Here you can feel the remnants of a once great Soviet state, and the influence of neighboring Iran and China. Today's city of Nakhichevan is Azerbaijani city with many Iranian names, stunning views of Caucasus mountains(especially in Ararat) and merciless reconstruction, persistently striving to disguise the Asian features of the streets and train stations as European ones.
Tourist side of Nakhchivan city
For tourists, Nakhichevan is a virtually unexplored chapter. Reasons for this annoying misunderstanding lies in the fact that entry into the city, along with many other points in Azerbaijan, was blocked due to hostilities as part of the Azerbaijani-Armenian war in 1992-94. And now Nakhichevan does not position itself as a tourist city - therefore this region of the country is far from spoiled by the attention of travelers.
Given the overall picture, it is not at all surprising why there are so few entertainment places in the city aimed at tourists and travelers passing through here. There are critically few attractions in Nakhichevan, but, nevertheless, each of them is worthy of attention and interest.
Nakhchivan: how to get there
Since the “influx” of tourists to Nakhichevan, to put it mildly, is not full of excitement, there are flights and railway connections from Russia here minimal amount. For example, a plane to Nakhichevan from Moscow flies only once a week. In this regard, tickets should be purchased in advance. Despite the fact that in reality there are not so many people on these flights, many often have luggage with them, which takes up 2-3 additional passenger seats! That's why planes are never empty.
Air travel is the most expedient way to get to Nakhichevan. But traveling within the country is much more convenient and easier by train. Built about a hundred years ago, but superbly renovated, the railway station looks grotesquely massive compared to the meager number of services it serves. The point is that in Soviet time Nakhchivan was a popular transport node, through which a lot of trains passed to Leningrad and Moscow, to Tehran and throughout Transcaucasia.
However, today's realities are much less inspiring. The current station is idle: it serves only two pairs of trains a day - from Ordubad to Sharur and back. The schedule of these trains was drawn up with the expectation that in the morning any resident of the NAR was able to arrive in the capital of the republic, and already at lunchtime there was an opportunity to return back to their city.
Prices in hotels and shops
Having finally arrived on Azerbaijani soil, the question arises: how to get from the airport to the center of Nakhichevan? Where to live? Oddly enough, the best transport option in this case is a taxi. The road from the airport will take about 2.5-3 km, for which the taxi driver will ask about 5 euros. You cannot earn extra money as a taxi driver in the NAR, as is often the case in Russia or Ukraine.
Each taxi driver must purchase a unique license - a special license plate. of blue color. Only if there is such distinctive sign the driver has the right to work as a taxi driver.
There are many taxis in the city - they are all mostly Chinese. Traveling around the city will cost no more than 2 euros. The center of Nakhichevan is surprisingly clean, despite the fact that there are no street cleaners scurrying around the streets visible work There is no effort to restore order. Tabriz is rightfully considered the most prestigious hotel.
Nearby there is a small complex that includes several shopping centers and an elegant park with a beautiful cascade of waterfalls. What is noteworthy is that in Nakhichevan many cafes and shops are named major cities: Istanbul, Baku, Dubai.
Nearby is a collective farm market, in which the shops are clearly demarcated by the regions from which the traders came. The cost of all goods here is truly low and incomparable, while their quality is always at the highest level. Here are natural, natural, grown own works and through the efforts of local residents, products are obtained.
Area railway station is in the lowlands, while the city center rises on the hills. Located on a mountain slope memorial Complex, honoring the memory of those killed in hostilities in the 90s. On a high hill stands the Kekhnya-Kala fortress, which should be climbed at least in order to see the stunning view of the southern part cities and river valley Araks, flowing between Iran and Azerbaijan. Here . The main attraction in the fortress is the Mausoleum of Noah (yes, the same one that, according to biblical stories rebuilt the ark and moored it near a mountain located 120 km from Nakhichevan).
Another mausoleum (under open air) surpasses Noah's tomb in size and decoration. This is the mausoleum of Momine Khatun with decorative architectural elements carved into stone that amaze the imagination.
The northwestern part of Nakhichevan is famous for the fact that it is here that the largest city mosque is located. Otherwise, there are practically no places of note for tourists in the city. Of course, the views themselves, opening onto mountain ranges and the rivers separating them can without a doubt be called a priceless attraction and feature of this secretive city.
general information
Story ancient city, located at one of the most important intersections trade routes from Europe to India and China, very rich. At one time, Nakhichevan was the capital geographically independent state. Today it depends on the political mood of Baku.
In fact, Nakhichevan is the second largest city in Azerbaijan, but the enormous efforts with which it maintains its status are invisible. Dust, unemployment, crippled industry, undeveloped infrastructure are striking, and outbreaks of interethnic hatred are not uncommon here.
But the city could become beautiful as before. It is located at the foot of the Zanzegur chain of the Lesser Caucasus Range, near the river, and the ancient heart of the city with narrow streets stores many historical monuments. Ptolemy also wrote about the bustling charm of the luxurious gardens and the prosperity of the city in the 2nd century. BC. According to legend, it was here that the ark of the Old Testament Noah landed. In the XII-XIV centuries. in Nakhichevan a local architecture school, who played important role in the development of Azerbaijani architecture. The city has preserved a fortress (X-XIV centuries), mosques and mausoleums. Today, however, faceless blocks of Soviet and modern buildings often obscure many of the unique attractions.
Tourists are given a choice: to explore a variety of interesting places in the city itself or take a trip through its picturesque surroundings.
When to come
Avoid extremes: in winter it can be -30 °C, and in summer +42 °C.
Do not miss
- Turquoise ten-sided mausoleum of Momine Khatun of the 12th century.
- A stunning variety of colors is at the State Carpet Museum, located in the palace of the khans who ruled here.
- Octagonal tomb of Yusuf ibn Qusayir, 12th century. Chess - this game will help you feel universal hospitality.
Should know
The city hospital is famous for its successful treatment of pulmonary diseases, during which patients are left to spend the night in a local salt mine.