The name Ganja derives from thePersian wordganj (Middle Persian:ganj), meaning "treasure" or "treasury".[8] It was calledJanza inArabic sources[8] andGandzak inArmenian sources.[9] The explanation that the city was named this after its founder discovered treasure nearby (see below) is considered afolk etymology.[8] According to one view, the city may have been named afterGanzak, the pre-Muslim capital ofAdurbadagan.[10] The city was renamedYelizavetpol (Russian:Елизаветпо́ль,romanized:Yelizavetpól',IPA:[jɪlʲɪzəvʲɪtˈpolʲ]) in 1813, when it was part of theRussian Empire.[8] After its incorporation into theSoviet Union, it was initially renamed back to Ganja (Gyandzha) in 1924, but in 1935 the name was changed again toKirovabad (Russian:Кироваба́д,romanized:Kirovabád,IPA:[kʲɪrəvɐˈbat]) in honor of the Soviet politicianSergei Kirov,[10] a name which the city retained throughout most of the rest of the Soviet period.[8] In 1989, duringperestroika, the city regained its original name of Ganja (Azerbaijani:Gəncə), which is known asGyandzha (Гянджа,Russian pronunciation:[ɡʲɪnˈdʑa]) in Russian,[11]Gyanja (Գյանջա) orGandzak (Գանձակ) in Armenian,[12] andGanjeh (گنجه) inPersian.
According to the anonymous medieval Arabic historyTarikh Bab al-abwab, the city of Ganja was founded in 859–60 byMuhammad ibn Khalid ibn Yazid ibn Mazyad, the Arab governor of the region during the reign of the caliphAl-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. The caliph made Muhammad the hereditary governor of the city on the condition that he would give the money he found to the caliph.[13] The foundation of the city by the Arabs in the 9th century is supported by the medievalArmenian historianMovses Kaghankatvatsi, who mentions that the city of Ganja was founded in 846–47 in the canton of Arshakashen by "Mahmed son of Xałtʿ" (i.e., Muhammad ibn Khalid).[14] The 14th-century Persian historianHamdallah Mustawfi instead claims that the city was founded in 659–60, when the Arab armies first arrived in theSouth Caucasus.[8]
However, the Persian origin of Ganja's name suggests that there was an older pre-Islamic town there.[8] According to some sources, it changed hands between Persians,Khazars and Arabs even in the 7th century.[15] The area in which Ganja is located was known asArran from the 9th to 12th century; its urban population spoke mainly in thePersian language.[16][17]
Silver coin ofAbbas II (r. 1642–1666), minted in Ganja, dated 1658/9 (left = obverse; right = reverse)Silver coin ofKarim Khan Zand (r. 1751–1779), minted in Ganja, dated 1763/4 (left = obverse; right = reverse)
The people of Ganja experienced a temporary cultural decline after anearthquake in 1139, when the city was taken by kingDemetrius I of Georgia and its gates taken as trophies which is still kept inGeorgia, and again after theMongol invasion in 1231. The city was revived after the Safavids came to power in 1501 and incorporated all of Azerbaijan and beyond into their territories. The city came under brief occupation by theOttomans between 1578–1606 and 1723–1735 during the prolongedOttoman-Persian Wars, but nevertheless stayed under intermittent Iranian suzerainty from the earliest 16th century up to the course of the 19th century, when it was forcefullyceded to neighbouring Imperial Russia.[25]
Silver coin ofFath-Ali Shah Qajar (r. 1797–1834), minted in Ganja, dated 1802/3 (left = obverse; right = reverse)
For a short period, Ganja was renamed Abbasabad byShah Abbas after war against the Ottomans. He built a new city 8 kilometres (5 miles) to the southwest of the old one, but the name changed back to Ganja during the time.[26] During theSafavid rule, it was the capital of theKarabakh province. In 1747, Ganja became the center of theGanja Khanate for a few decades following the death ofNader Shah, until the advent of the IranianZand andQajar dynasties. The khans/dukes who de facto self-ruled the khanate, were subordinate to the central rule in mainland Iran and were from a branch of the Iranian Qajar family.[23][24]
From the late 18th century, Russia actively started to increase its encroachments into Iranian and Turkish territory to the south. Following theannexation of eastern Georgia in 1801, Russia was now keen to conquer the rest of the Iranian possessions in theCaucasus. Russian expansion into the South Caucasus met particularly strong opposition in Ganja. In 1804, the Russians, led by GeneralPavel Tsitsianov,invaded and sacked Ganja, sparking theRusso-Persian War of 1804–1813.[27] Some western sources assert that "the capture of the city was followed by a massacre of up to 3,000 inhabitants of Ganja by the Russians".[28] They also claim that "500 of them were slaughtered in a mosque where they had taken refuge, after anArmenian apprised the Russians that there might have been 'Daghestani robbers' among them".[29]
With their military superiority, the Russians were victorious in the Russo-Persian War of 1804–1813. By theTreaty of Gulistan that followed, Iran was forced to cede the Ganja Khanate to Russia.[25] The Iranians briefly managed to oust the Russians from Ganja during the 1826 offensive during theRusso-Persian War of 1826–1828, but the resultingTreaty of Turkmenchay made its inclusion into the Russian Empire permanent.[30] It was renamedYelizavetpol (Елизаветполь) after the wife ofAlexander I of Russia,Elizabeth, and in 1840 became the capital of theElizavetpol uezd and later in 1868, the Elizavetpol Governorate.[31] The Russian name of the city was rejected by the local Azerbaijanis, who continued call itGanja.[32]
Reconstruction in the 21st century has led to dramatic changes in the city's urban development, transforming the old Soviet city into a hub of high-rise, mixed-use buildings.[38][failed verification]
In 2008,Ganja Mausoleum Gates were built on the basis of sketches of ancient Ganja gates made by local master Ibrahim Osmanoğlu in 1063.[39][40]
In 2020, during theNagorno-Karabakh conflict, Ganja came underbombardment by Armenian armed forces several times, killing 32 civilians and injuring dozens more.[41][42] On 11 October, a residential apartment block in Azerbaijan's city of Ganja was destroyed overnight in an Armenian missile strike, killing 10 civilians and wounding 34 others.[43][41] TheArmenian MoD denied that this came from its territory,[44] while Artsakh stated that Armenian forces had targeted and destroyed the Ganja military airbase onGanja International Airport, which they alleged was used to bombard Artsakh's capitalStepanakert and also stated that the Azerbaijani population were given warning to move away from military facilities to avoid collateral damage.[45] Subsequently, both a correspondent reporting from the scene for a Russian media outlet and the airport director denied that the airport, which had not been operational since March due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, had been shelled.[46] On 17 October, 21 civilians were killed and more than 50 injured when an ArmenianSCUD B ballistic missile hit a residential area in Ganja.[47]
Ganja, located 400–450 meters (1,310–1,480 ft) above the sea level, lies on the Ganja-Dashkasan plain in the Kur-Araz lowland in the west of Azerbaijan, 375 km (233 mi) away from Baku. It is situated at the north-eastern foothills of the Lesser Caucasus mountain ranges on the Ganjachay river.[48][49]
The city borders on the administrative rayons of Goygol to the south, west and north-west and Samukh to the north-east.[50]
Ganja has acool semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification:BSk), with an average annual precipitation of 241 millimetres (9.5 in), though annual precipitation varies in different years, ranging from 160 mm (6.3 in) in 1932 to 1,133 mm (44.6 in) in 1988.[51] Winters are cold and may see snow, with 5 days per year in which snow cover is observed. Blizzard is seen in 0.2 days annually.[51]
Climate data for Ganja (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1890–present)
Today, Ganja is divided into 2rayons (administrative districts).[55] The mayor, presently Niyazi Bayramov[56] embodies the executive power of the city.[57][58] Ganja includes 6 administrative settlements, namelyHajikend, Javadkhan, Shikhzamanli, Natavan, Mahsati and Sadilli.[59]
Kapaz District (Kəpəz rayonu) was established on 21 November 1980 according to the decision of Supreme Soviet ofAzerbaijan SSR. The district consists of 2 administrative territorial units and 6 administrative settlements. It has an area of approximately 70 square kilometers (750,000,000 square feet)mi) with the population of 178,000.[60]
Nizami District (Nizami rayonu) was also established on 21 November 1980 according to the decision of Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan SSR as Ganja raion of Kirovabad city. When Ganja's historic name was restored and the city was renamed as Ganja instead of Kirovabad in 1989, the district was also renamed asNizami rayon. The district consists of 2 administrative territorial units. The area of the district is roughly 39 square kilometers (420,000,000 square feet)mi) and population is 148,000.[61]
Ganja is the third largest city of Azerbaijan afterBaku andSumqayit with about 335,600[72] residents. The city is also inhabited by a large number of Azerbaijani refugees from Armenia andIDPs from the Azerbaijani community ofNagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas. Their number was estimated to be more than 33,000 in 2011.[73]
In addition to Persian and Turkic-speaking Muslims, the city had a numerically, economically and culturally significant ChristianArmenian community. The city's traditional Armenian name is Gandzak (Գանձակ), which derives fromgandz (գանձ), aloan word fromOld Iranian, which means treasure or riches.[75][76] The founder of theHethumid dynasty,Oshin of Lampron was an Armeniannakharar (prince) and lord of a castle near Ganja who fled toCilicia in 1075 during the Seljuk invasion of Armenia.[77]
The city's historically important Armenian figures include:
The urban landscape of Ganja is shaped by many communities. Religious diversity has however greatly decreased over the last decades,[citation needed] with the emigration of most Armenians, Slavs, Jews and Germans. The religion with the largest community of followers by far is Islam. The majority of the Muslims areShia Muslims, and the Republic of Azerbaijan has the second-highest Shia population percentage in the world afterIran.[86] The city's notable mosques includeShah Abbas Mosque, theImamzadeh Complex incorporating theGoy Imam Mosque,Shahsevenler Mosque,Qirikhli Mosque andQazakhlar Mosque.[87]
There are some other faiths practiced among the different ethnic groups within the country. The other faith worshipping places includeAlexander Nevsky Church, GermanLutheran Church, Saint John Church and Saint Sarkis Church.[88][89] Before theKirovabad pogrom in 1988 a significant community ofArmenianChristians existed.
According to theState Statistics Committee, as of 2018, the population of city recorded 332,600 persons, which increased by 31,900 persons (about 10.6 percent) from 300,700 persons in 2000.[90] 162,300 of total population are men, 170,300 are women.[91] More than 26 percent of the population (about 86,500 persons) consists of young people and teenagers aged 14–29.[92]
Population of the district by the year (at the beginning of the year, thsd. persons)[90]
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.[93] There areporcelain, silk andfootwear industries. Other industries process food, grapes and cotton from the surrounding farmlands.
The city has one of the largest textile conglomerates in Azerbaijan and is famous for a fabric namedGanja silk, which received the highest marks in the markets of neighboring countries and theMiddle East.[94][95]
People are mainly employed in manufacturing, education, transportation, service sectors and catering. Det.Al-Aluminium is the largest employer operating in Ganja, followed byGanja Auto Plant and Ganja Winery Plant 2.[59]
Ganja MallJavad khan street in GanjaVego Hotel, Ganja
Traditional shops, modern shops and malls create a mixture of shopping opportunities in Ganja. Javad Khan Street is the traditional shopping street that is located in the old town.[96] Constructed between 2014 and 2017,[97]Ganja Mall is considered the city's largest mall.[98][99] Other shopping centers include Khamsa Park, Taghiyev Mall and Aura Park.[100]
In 2016, Ganja was selected as theEuropean Youth Capital by the final decision of international jury at the General Assembly of theEuropean Youth Forum.[107] Ganja became the first city to win the title of European Youth Capital among the former Commonwealth Independent States (CIS) and non-EU cities.[107] It was an event with a budget of 5.7 million euros, projected to boost tourism by about one-fifth.[108][109]
Ganja State History-Ethnography Museum is the oldest museum in the city, with over 30,000 artifacts.[115] The city is also home toNizami Ganjavi Museum, which was built in 2014.[116] The museum contains a research section, a library, a conference room, and corners for guests and tourists' relaxation.[116]
Other museums include Heydar Aliyev Museum, House Museum of Mir Jalal Pashayev, Memorial House-Museum of Nizami Ganjavi, Memorial-House Museum of İsrafil Mammadov, Ganja branch of Museum of Miniature Books, "Ganja Castle Gates – Archaeology and Ethnography Museum" monument complex, Cultural Center named after Mahsati Ganjavi, Museum of Modern Art and Museum of Mirza Shafi Vazeh.[117][118][119][120][100][121]
Ganja State Art Gallery was established in April 1984 according to the decision of Council of Ministers ofAzerbaijan SSR. The Gallery is headed by the carpet-artist Faig Osmanov.[122][123]
Ganja is primarily known for its Azerbaijani andIslamic architecture, but its buildings reflect the various peoples and empires that have previously ruled the city. During theGanja Khanate period, the Khans proceeded to make an indelible impression on the skyline of Ganja, building towering mosques and houses from red bricks.[124]
Among the oldest surviving examples of Islamic architecture in Ganja are theNizami Mausoleum andShah Abbas Caravanserai, which assisted the Shahs during their siege of the city.[125][126] The area around and inside the mosques, contains many fine examples of traditional architecture likeChokak Bath.[127]
TheGanja State Philharmonic was established in August 1990 according to the decision of the Ministry of Culture of theAzerbaijan SSR.[128] On 21 January 2012, presidentIlham Aliyev laid the foundation of the Ganja State Philharmonic.[129] The facility includes a 1,200 concert hall, an open-air cinema theatre, a drawing gallery, an urban center and an observation tower.[129] The new building of the Philharmonic Hall was put into use in 2017. The Goygol State Song and Dance Ensemble, the Orchestra of Folk Instruments and the Ganja State Chamber Orchestra operate under the Ganja State Philharmonic.[128][100]
Bottle house in Ganja, a local icon entirely made of glass bottles[130]
Two regional channels, Kapaz TV and Alternativ TV, are headquartered in Ganja.[131] Two newspapers are published in Ganja (Gəncənin səsi andNovosti Qyandji).[100]
The building of the Ganja State Drama Theater was built by the German entrepreneur Christofor Forer in the 1880s. Ganja Drama Theater was established in 1921 in Baku as "Tənqid-təbliğ" (literally means "Criticism-propaganda"). In 1935 the theater moved to Ganja with its staff and continues its activity here under different names until 1990. The theater has been called the Ganja State Drama Theater since 1990.[132]
Ganja State Puppet Theater was established according to Decree No. 299 of the Council of Ministers of theAzerbaijan SSR in September 1986. Before receiving "state theater" status in 1986, it was functioning as public theater. Ganja Puppet Theater operates in the building ofLutheran church constructed in 1885 by German settlers.[133][134]
Ganja has many well-maintained parks and gardens, with the Khan's garden being one of the most scenic parks, and one of the city's most known landmarks.[135] It features interesting landscaping, and consists of a wide variety of trees and plants in an open concept.[136]
Amphitheater in Ganja (2014)
Other prominent parks and gardens include Heydar Aliyev Park Complex, "Ganja 2016 European Youth Capital Park", "Ganja river" park-boulevard complex, Istiglal Avenue, Fikrat Amirov Park, Fuzuli Park, and Narimanov Park.[137]Heydar Aliyev Park Complex includes an Amphitheater considered for organizing large outdoor events for up to 5000 people.[138][139]
The city has one professionalfootball team,Kapaz, currently competing in the second-flight of Azerbaijani football, theAzerbaijan First Division.[140] The club has three Azerbaijani league and four cup titles.
There are Olympic Sports Complex with 2 buildings (put into operation in 2002 and 2006 respectively),[141]Ganja City Stadium with a capacity of 27,000[142][143] put into use in 1964 and other sporting facilities in Ganja.[144][145]
In September 2017 "Ganja Marathon 2017" was organized involving 11,000 people from different regions of Azerbaijan, as well as foreigners under the slogan "Be with us in the Marathon". The race started from Triumphal Arch and finished at the Heydar Aliyev Park Complex covering a distance of 17 kilometers.[146][147]
Ganja International Airport is the only airport in the city.[152] The airport is connected by bus to the city center. There are domestic flights toBaku and international service to Russia and Turkey.
Ganja sits on one of the Azerbaijani primary rail lines running east–west connecting the capital,Baku, with the rest of the country. TheBaku–Tbilisi–Kars railway runs along the line through the city. The railway provides both human transportation and transport of goods and commodities such as oil and gravel.
Ganja's Central Railway Station is the terminus for national and international rail links to the city. The Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway, which directly connectsTurkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan, began to be constructed in 2007 and completed in 2017.[153] The completed branch connects Ganja withTbilisi in Georgia, and from there trains continue toAkhalkalaki, andKars in Turkey.[154]
The first seminary in Azerbaijan aimed at professional training of school teachers was opened in Ganja in 1914 which was united with Girls Seminary in 1927 and renamed as Ganja Pedagogical Technical School (Azerbaijani:Gəncə Pedoqoji Texnikumu).[155]
There are also schools offering secondary specialized education like Ganja Music College, Ganja Medicine College, Ganja State Regional College (established by combining Ganja Humanitarian College and Ganja Technical College in 2010).[158][159]
There are a total of 7 schools offering vocational education in Ganja, being located as 3 vocational lyceums and a vocational school inKapaz raion, a vocational lyceum and 2 vocational schools inNizami raion.[158][160][161]
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![Bottle house in Ganja, a local icon entirely made of glass bottles[130]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aBottle_House_in_Ganja.jpg)
![Nizami Ganjavi, the author of Khamsa,[162] considered one of the Middle East's greatest poets.](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aNizami_Rug_Crop.jpg)
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![Mahmud Qurbanov, won Azerbaijan Premier League record 12 times with six different clubs.[163]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aMahmud.Qurbanov.jpg)
