| Ganja Gəncə |
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| Coordinates: 40°40′58″N 46°21′38″E / 40.68278°N 46.36056°E | |||
| Country | Azerbaijan | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Eldar Azizov | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 110 km2 (42.5 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | +408 m (1,339 ft) | ||
| Population (2009)census data[1] | |||
| - Total | 313,000 | ||
| Time zone | GMT+4 (UTC+4) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | GMT+5 (UTC+5) | ||
| Website | www.ganca.net | ||
Ganja (Azerbaijani: Gəncə) is Azerbaijan's second-largest city with a population of around 313 ,000.[2][3][4] It was named Elizavetpol (Russian: Елизаветполь) in the Russian Empire, and Kirovabad (Russian: Кировабад) in the USSR.
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Modern historians believe that the Persian name Ganja (گنجه / Ganjeh, "Ganja" derives from the New Persian ganj (گنج: "treasure, treasury")) suggests that the city existed in pre-Islamic times and was likely founded in the fifth century A.D.[5] The area in which Ganja is located was known as Arran from the ninth to twelfth century; its urban population spoke mainly in the Persian language.[6][7]
According to medieval Arab sources, the city of Ganja was founded in 859-60 by Mohammad b. Khaled b. Yazid b. Mazyad, the Arab governor of the region in the reign of the caliph Al-Mutawakkil, and so-called because of a treasure unearthed there. According to the legend, the Arab governor had a dream where a voice told him that there was a treasure hidden under one of the three hills around the area where he camped. The voice told him to unearth it and use the money to found a city. He did so and informed the caliph about the money and the city. Caliph made Mohammad the hereditary governor of the city on a condition that he would give the money he found to the caliph.[8]
Foundation of the city by Arabs is confirmed by the medieval Armenian historian Movses Kagankatvatsi, who mentions that the city of Ganja was founded in 846-47 in the canton of Arshakashen by the son of Khazr Patgos, “a furious and merciless man”.[9]
Historically an important city of the South Caucasus, Ganja has been part of Sassanid empire, Great Seljuk Empire, Atabegs of Azerbaijan, Khwarezmid Empire, Il-Khans,[10] Timurids,[11] Jalayirids,[12] Qara Qoyunlu,[13] Ak Koyunlu[14]Aznet.org: Ganja's History, and the Ganja Khanate. Ganja is also the birthplace of the famous poet Nizami.
The people of Ganja experienced a temporary cultural decline after an earthquake in 1139 and again after the Mongol invasion in 1231. The city was revived after the Safavids came to power. City was also managed by Ottomans between 1578-1603 and 1724-1735.
For a short period, Ganja was renamed Abbasabad by Shah Abbas after war against the Ottomans. He build a new city 8 km to the southwest of the old one, but the name changed back to Ganja during the time[15] During the Safavid rule, it was the capital of the Karabakh (Ganja) beylerbey,[16] one of the four such administrative units and principalities.[17] In 1747, Ganja became the center of the Ganja Khanate.
According to the October 1813 Gulistan Treaty, the Ganja Khanate, together with most of Azerbaijan and Georgia, was recognized as part of Russian Empire after Persia's defeat in the Persia-Russia wars.[18] It was renamed Elizavetpol (Russian: Елизаветполь) after the wife of Alexander I of Russia, Elizabeth, and in 1868 became the capital of Elizavetpol Governorate.[19] Elizavetpol was an uyezd of Tiflis Governorate before 1868.
In 1918, Ganja became the temporary capital of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, at which point it was renamed Ganja again, until Baku was recaptured from the British backed Centrocaspian Dictatorship. In April 1920, the Red Army occupied Azerbaijan. In May 1920, Ganja was the scene of an abortive anti-Soviet rebellion, during which the city was heavily damaged by fighting between the insurgents and the Red Army.[20] In 1935, Joseph Stalin renamed the city Kirovabad after Sergei Kirov.[21] In 1991, Azerbaijan re-established its independence, and the ancient name of the city was given back.[22]
Ganja is divided into:
The economy of Ganja is partially agricultural, partially tourist based, with some industries in operation. Ore minerals extracted from nearby mines supply Ganja's metallurgical industries, which produces copper and alumina.[24] There are porcelain, silk and footwear industries. Other industries process food, grapes and cotton from the surrounding farmlands.
The city has one of the largest textile conglomerates in Azerbaijan and famous for fabric named Ganja silk, which received the highest marks markets of neighboring countries and Middle East.[22][25]
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In the 11th century, a local blacksmith named Ibrahim produced the well known the Gates of Ganja.[22]
Ganja is home to four major institutes for post-secondary education.
Ganja International Airport is the only airport in the city.[27] The airport is connected by bus to the city center.
About 99% of the population of Ganja speak Azerbaijani, only 1% of the population speak in other languages.[citation needed]
The city has one professional football team competing in the second-flight of Azerbaijani football - FK Gäncä, formlery known as Kəpəz Gəncə currently playing in the Azerbaijan First Division.[28]
In addition to Persian- and Turkic-speaking Muslims, the city has had a numerically, economically and, culturally significant Armenian community.[29][30] Among the Armenians, the city is known as Gandzak (Գանձակ)[31][32][33] The name Gandzak derives from gandz (Arm. - գանձ), the loan word from Old Iranian, which means treasure or riches.[34][35] The city's historically important Christian figures include Kirakos Gandzaketsi, author of the History of the Armenians[36]), Armenian[37] philosopher Mkhitar Gosh[38] author of the Code of Laws that was used in Armenia, Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia and Armenian diasporan groups in Europe,[39] 13th century polymath Vardan Areveltsi[40] and Grigor Paron-Ter, Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem. Among the modern time's prominent Armenian person's of the city were Russian-Armenian architect Karo Halabyan,[41] secretary of Armenian SSR communist party, President Askanaz Mravyan,[42] Marshall Hovhannes Baghramyan,[43] Chief Marshal Hamazasp Babadzhanian and the Olympic champion Albert Azaryan.[44]
The founder of the Hethumid dynasty, Oshin of Lampron was an Armenian nakharar and lord of a castle near Ganja who fled to Cilicia in 1075 during the Seljuk invasion of Armenia.[45]
| City | Country |
|---|---|
| Derbent |  Russia |
| Rustavi |  Georgia |
| Newark, New Jersey |  United States |
| Izmir |  Turkey |
| Moscow | Russia |
| Kutaisi | Georgia |
| Kars | Turkey |
 The Nizami Ganjavi Monument in Ganja |
 Ganja archeological museum |
 Ganja city hall |
 Ganja city hall |
 Statue of Nizami Ganjavi in front of the crumbling Kyapas Hotel |
 Ganja downtown |
 Cavadxan St (formerly Ganja St and before that Sabir St!) |
 Shah Abbas Mosque |
 Area around Shah Abbas Mosque |
 Ganja's quirky 'Bottle House' (Huseynli St) |
 Chinarlar Alley |
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 Statues depicting scenes from the works of Nizami, near the Nizami Ganjavi Mausoleum (Ganja) |
 Statues depicting scenes from the works of Nizami, near the Nizami Ganjavi Mausoleum (Ganja) |
 Statues depicting scenes from the works of Nizami, near the Nizami Ganjavi Mausoleum (Ganja) |
Coordinates: 40°40′58″N 46°21′38″E / 40.68278°N 46.36056°E
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  | Kara Koyunlu. (2007). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved March 15, 2007 - Kara Koyunlu (Turkmen tribal federation) -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia |
| | Timurid Dynasty. (2007). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved March 16, 2007 - Timurid dynasty (Asian history) -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia |
| | The State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan, "Population by economic regions at the beginning of the 2006" - The State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan |
| | Iran. (2007). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved March 17, 2007 - Iran -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia |
| | Ganja - The memories of stones - Ganja - the memories of stones ... |
| | Census table for Azerbaijani cities - GeoHive: Azerbaijan statistics |
| | World Gazetteer: Azerbaijan - World Gazetteer: Azerbaijan - largest cities (per geographical entity) |
| | The later Crusades, 1189-1311 (A History of the Crusades, volume, II) - History: The later Crusades, 1189-1311 (volume, II): Contents |
| | Dictionary.Hayastan.com - գանձ - Armenian-English, English-Armenian Dictionary - Print version |
| | "Beglerbeg" in Cyclopædia dictionary, (ed. Ephraim Chambers), First Volume, London: Printed for J. and J. Knapton (and 18 others), 1728, p. 95 (accessed March 17, 2007) - Problem while searching in History of Science |
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