History

Ganja is the second largest city of Azerbaijan the population. The city is located in the area rich with agricultural potentialities in the south of the river Ganja and Kur.

There are different opinions about formation of Ganja as a city. Some scientists refer the city to the period of B.C. and the majority to the beginning of the middle ages.

Speaking about the history of the city we should first of all mention about the fact that the city was a social-economic and cultural centre. Alike other cities of our country (Gabala, Nakhchivan, Sheki, Shamakhi) Ganja was a habitation earlier with beautiful geographical sight and later formed into a city.

In the first part of the 7th century Ganja was ruined by the Iranians and in the second half of the same century by the Arabians. To the late 17th century Ganja was a battle field in the war between the Arabians and the Khazars. Azerbaijan continuously suffered attacks that fond its reflection in Ganja city that was also attacked and ruined.

Ganja was the second after Barda-the centre of Aran khanate, to play an important role in the international commerce and was one of the places of frequent caravan transition and rest. The monetary units of that time were Arabian dinars and dirhams.

Barda lost its status of the capital in the 10th century and Ganja started to play important role in the social-economic and cultural life of the country. Trade and art turned into important factors in the life of the city. There was favourable condition for the development of art. Round Ganja functioned iron, copper, aluminium and other fields that supplied local craftsman with local raw material. Ganja strengthened its military forces that were another peculiarity of capital city. Defence of the city was strengthened by tower walls and moats round it.

In the 9th-10th centuries when Arabian caliphate was gradually weakening, such feudal states as Shirvanshahs, Sheddadis, Salaris and Ravvadis appeared in the territory of Azerbaijan. In the middle of the 10th century Ganja city was ruled by Salaris and later by Sheddadis.

During reign of I Fezlul (895-1030) Ganja witnesses its period of strength. A tower, palaces, bridges and caravanserais built and money cut in Ganja in the period of ruling of the Shaddadis. The city surrounded by a new and more stable tower. In 1063 Ibrahim -a blacksmith, built the famous gates of Ganja. Ganja was turning a large centre and its territory was widening, appeared new commercial and industrial zones. Silk and silken products drew the attention of local and foreign purchasers. Ganja might be considered as religious centre; Albanian catholicos shifted the centre from Barda to Ganja. Gatran Tebrizi gave the following description of those times: ?Today Ganja is like a Paradise.? In the middle of the 11th century Azerbaijan was attacked by the Seljugs. After invading Tebriz, I Togrul (1038-1068) moved his army on Ganja in 1054. The ruler of Ganja I Shavir agreed to be the vassal of Togrul. Shavir presented expensive gifts to I Togrul and dedicated him a khutba (homily of an imam in the mosque).

Continuous attacks of the Seljugs in the middle of the 11th century urged the ruler of Shadddis III Fazlul to capitulate, but in an appropriate situation he came to the power for the second time. Malik shah(1072-1092)-the ruler of the Seljugs sent the commander of his army Bugay to Ganja in 1086. In spite of strong resistance of local people the Seljugs occupied the city. The ruler of Ganja III Fazlul took hostage and the put the point to the 100 year long ruling of the Shaddadis dynasty. Melik shah appointed his son Giyas ed-din the ruler of Ganja. After election the sultan Giyas ed-din Mahammad Tapar (1105-1117) remained the Seljug ruler of Ganja.

In the first half of the 12th century Ganja several times suffered Georgian attacks. In response to this action the army of the Seljugs attacked Georgia and plundered it.

Until the 11th century when Ganja lost to Seljuk Turks - it was the centre of Christianity of the Caucasus Albania. In earthquake of 1139 the original city established in the 5th century destroyed and rebuilt in the 12th century little in the east of the former location.

The city turned into one of the important trade centres for it located on the main caravan roads. The city was again destroyed in 1231 in the result of Mongolian invasion. In the 15th century Ganja subordinated to the Garagoyunlu state. The city was again occupied in the 16th century by the Sefevis.

From 1606 until 1804, when attached to the Russian Empire, Ganja was the centre of the khanate in the subordination of Iranian empire. In 1826 Russian army defeated Iranian powers and kept them down. Many Armenian, Russian and German refugees inhabited this place and initiated development of industry and trade in Ganja.

For a very short period of time Ganja was the capital of independent Azerbaijan established in 1918. Historical events also influenced the change of the name of the city. The toponym Ganja does not relate with the medicine. It is derived from the name of the tribes Genjek. During 1804-1918 the city called (Yelizavetpol)-the name of wife of Tsar I Alexander. The city regained its former name Ganja till 1935 and then changed into Kirovabad. Since 1989 till today the city is called Ganja. In June of 1993 Ganja turned into a square of military flurry that resulted in deposition of the government of the President Abulfaz Elchibey.

The road from Baku to Ganja is one of the picturesque roads of Azerbaijan. Ganja is famous for the mountain Kepez and 7 lakes round it, and particularly for Goy-Gol. The place is ideal for canoe, swimming, walking, voyages and family picnics.

The city is the motherland of great poets such as Mesheti khanum Ganjavi and Nizami; in one word-Ganja is the centre of the literature of the country. University named after Hasan Aliyev, Academy of Sciences, Medical School and Ganja State University (former Pedagogical Institute) prove that scholastic tradition does still exist. 24 000 students take education in 4 state and 2 private high schools in Ganja.