Fuzuli Füzuli | |
|---|---|
City | |
%2c_Bus_stop%2c_2014.05.10_-_panoramio.jpg) Ruins of a Soviet-era bus stop in Fuzuli | |
  Fuzuli  Fuzuli | |
| Coordinates:39°36′01″N47°08′35″E / 39.60028°N 47.14306°E /39.60028; 47.14306 | |
| Country |  Azerbaijan |
| District | Fuzuli |
| Founded | 1827 |
| Elevation | 416 m (1,365 ft) |
| Population (2023) | |
• Total | 928[1] |
| Time zone | UTC+4 (AZT) |
| Area code | +994 141 |
Fuzuli (Azerbaijani:Füzuli(listen)ⓘ) is a city and the capital of theFuzuli District ofAzerbaijan.
The city had a population of 17,090 before itsoccupation by Armenian forces on 23 August 1993, during theFirst Nagorno-Karabakh War, which resulted in the expulsion of the local Azerbaijani population and the city becoming aghost town. However people are slowly starting to return.[1]
On 17 October 2020, Azerbaijani forces recaptured the city during the2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war.[2]
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Archaeological excavations on the hill in the northern edge of the town,Garakopaktapa, uncovered artifacts from the 4th-3rd centuries BC, matching similar artifacts found throughout theArmenian highlands. In the Middle Ages, the area belonged to the historical province ofArtsakh in theKingdom of Armenia. By the late medieval period, it formed part of the Armenian principality ofDizak.[4] The nearby Kavakavank monastery was rebuilt by order of Melik Yegan of Dizak in 1724.[5]
Fuzuli was known asQarabulaq (Azerbaijani:قره بلاغ,lit. 'black spring') until 1827[6] when it was renamed toKaryagino (Russian:Карягино), afterPavel Karyagin [ru]. Initially, its only inhabitants were Russians of the spiritualMolokan sect. In 1896, the population of the village was monoethnic, composed mostly ofRussians. Over the years, the population expanded to includeTurks,Kurds, and a small number ofArmenians. The Turkic and Armenian populations of Fuzuli were primarily migrants from the city ofShusha who came for the commercial opportunities of the region. The primary occupation of the village was agriculture with the exception of the small Armenian minority who were primarily shop owners and shoe-makers.[4] It was administrated as part ofDzhebrail Uyezd during theRussian Empire.[7] The city later became the administrative center of theuezd ("county"), with the latter being eponymously renamed Karyaginsky Uyezd (pre-reform Russian: Карягинскій уѣздъ).[8][9] According to the 1915 publication of theCaucasian Calendar, Karyagino had a population of 400 in 1914, mostlyRussians.[10]
The town was renamed to Füzuli in 1959. During theSoviet years, the city was the administrative centre of the Füzuliraion ofAzerbaijan SSR. According to the 1979 census, 13,091 people lived in the city, of which 87% were Azerbaijanis and 7.4% were Russians and Ukrainians.[11] Population rose to 17,090 in 1989.[12]
During theFirst Nagorno-Karabakh War, the city was captured by Armenian forces on 23 August 1993. The city subsequently became aghost town after its capture by Armenian forces and the expulsion of its Azerbaijani population.[2] Subsequently, it was made part of theHadrut Province of thebreakawayRepublic of Artsakh and was renamedVaranda (Armenian:Վարանդա). In 2010, the town had a population of 99.[13] It was named after the medievalArmenian melikdom of Varanda, which ruled over the area that later became Fuzuli.[3]
In the context of the2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war on October 17, 2020, the president of Azerbaijan,Ilham Aliyev stated that the Azerbaijani army had retaken control of the city.[14] The next day, theAzerbaijani Ministry of Defence released a video from Fuzuli, showing Azerbaijani soldiers raising theAzerbaijani flag in the centre of the city.[14] On 16 November, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev visited the city and hoisted the Azerbaijani flag on the territory of the former military base of the Armenian forces in Fuzuli.[15]
As part of a massive reconstruction project, a new highway is to be built toShusha via Fuzuli, according to President Aliyev who announced the plan to build during his 16 November 2020 visit to the ruins of the latter town.[16] The process was started with immediate effect, press reports suggesting the new 101 km multi-lanehighway should be finished by mid-2022.[17][18]
On 5 January 2021, Azerbaijani presidentIlham Aliyev, announced thatan international airport was planned to be built near Fuzuli.[19] Four days later, the plan for a Fuzuli-Shusha railway was also made public.[20]Fuzuli International Airport was inaugurated on 26 October 2021 by the presidents of Azerbaijan and Turkey.
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