www.dervishtravel.com This district, located on the north-west of Azerbaijan, is the area of the country that capture one’s imagination with wooded mountains, green alpine valleys, blue mirrors of lakes and rivers, hot mineral and crystal springs.
Sheki
Sheki district, with administrative center in Sheki city and located on the southern slopes of Greater Caucasus, – one of the most distinctive, pictorial and ancient regions of Azerbaijan with age counting 2500-2600 years.
Ancient Sheki, being located on the Great Silk Way, was big trade and handicraft center and famous with its silk production and wonderful carpets.
Sheki by right can be called architectural preserve of the country.
One of the most colorful sights of the city is the palace of Sheki Khans (1762) – a unique architectural building, for construction of which not a single nail had been used. There is also a modest mini copy of this palace – an old apartment house with unique paintings, made with oil-paints, elegant shebeke (ornament in the form of net) on windows and fire-place, with calligraphic scripts in the middle of the hall.
4 km away from Ganja on the top of Gara-tepe mountain you can find ruins of unassailable fortress «Galarsan-gorarsan» («come to see»), described in the story of L.N. Tolstoy «Haji Murat». While entering the city you will be shown the grave of Haji Murat himself, who died here in the battle.
Fully rehabilitated Albanian church of II-IV centuries in Kish village, as well as the ruins of Gayur Gala fortress mosques with history for ages are of great interest for not just tourists but scientists from all over the world. You should definitely visit Ahakhi (lower) and Yukhari (upper) caravan-sarays build in XIX century.
But the valuable of this land is its wonderful people, with their hospitality, good will, and famous «Sheki homour»: Thus, you will never feel bored here!
Oguz
Oguz is located on the southern slope of Greater Caucasus and border on with Russian Federation. It really deserves to be called Azerbaijani Switzerland. Mountain rivers, raging springs, waterfalls, sulphurous springs, rocks, and most of all, dense forests complement this similarity.
This is really ancient land, evidenced by ruins of ancient settlements, as well as different items made of stone, bronze and gold, discovered during archeological excavations.
If you are interested in antiquities, you should definitely see Albanian Temple in Oguz, a three-flour building of IX century in Mukhas village, defense tower Gobur, Govurgala, that supplied potable water from water-running in VII century and other sights.
It is noticeable, that most of the monuments of old times, including Dashuz bridge over Sari-su river, synagogue (1849) in Oguz city, a number of schools built 200 years ago, etc, had still maintained their functionality.
If you love hunting and fishing – this is the place to go.
Gakh
Gakh district is on the north-west of Azerbaijan on the border with Georgia. Climate on the south – dry subtropical, in the center – temperate, half dewy subtropical and cold high in mountains. In winter it can as low as – 15 – 20 0C here.
True hunters and fishers will find here a lot of wonderful places for themselves. There are bears, wolves, wild boars, wild cats and other animals in mountain forests.
Famous Ilisu preserve is on the territory of this district.
The administrative center of the district is Gakh city, which means «fortress», is located at 500 high above the sea level, on the bottom of woody mountains of Greater Caucasus.
The most beautiful place in the district is the Ilisu village, located 1400-1600 high above the sea and 12 km towards north-east away from Gakh city. Ilisu is famous with its mineral springs that have strong medicinal power. Thousands of people from all over the world come here not just for treatment, but to enjoy beautiful nature as well – fabulous forests, waterfalls, raging rivers.
There are a lot of monuments of old times, including ruins of ancient fortress, barrows of Bronze Age, watchtower 10 m high (XIV) and fortrees Sumug, as well as a unique pitcher graves cemetery of I century B.C. in Gakh.
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