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76-615: After Azerbaijan's initial military successes, re-grouped Armenian forces repelled the attack, re-capturing most of the seized regions. On 12 June 1992, just five days after Abulfaz Elchibey of the Popular Front of Azerbaijan was elected the President of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani military first launched a large scale diversionary attack from the east, in the direction of the Askeran region at

152-403: A 24 June 1993 military coup backed by Russia that led to the installation of Heydar Aliyev as president. Elchibey's brief rule was the only post-Soviet period in which Azerbaijan has been democratic. During his rule, Elchibey sought to dismantle the old communist system domestically, such as the planned economy and the black market. In his foreign policy, he sought to re-orient Azerbaijan to

228-486: A large number of Azerbaijani refugees from Armenia and IDPs from the Azerbaijani community of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas. Their number was estimated to be more than 33,000 in 2011. Lezgi people in Ganja number around 20,000. In addition to Persian and Turkic-speaking Muslims, the city had a numerically, economically and culturally significant Christian Armenian community. The city's traditional Armenian name

304-717: A mixture of shopping opportunities in Ganja. Javad Khan Street is the traditional shopping street that is located in the old town. Constructed between 2014 and 2017, Ganja Mall is considered the city's largest mall. Other shopping centers include Khamsa Park, Taghiyev Mall and Aura Park. Ganja is one of the famous tourist destinations in Azerbaijan with its historic buildings such as Nizami Mausoleum , Ancient gates , Juma Mosque , Imamzadeh , Tomb of Javad Khan , Chokak Hamam , Shah Abbas Caravanserai and Ugurlu Bay Caravanserai. Other tourist and entertainment spots include Javad khan street, Triumphal Arch near Heydar Aliyev Center,

380-630: A police colonel and the leader of the newly established Grey Wolves movement in Azerbaijan, as the Minister of Interior. Hamidov, despite his personal devotion and contributions in capturing Agdere district of Azerbaijan, proved to be generally incompetent and resigned in April 1993 after the fall of Kalbajar . In June 1992, the Azerbaijani army started a counter-offensive codenamed Operation Goranboy in Nagorno-Karabakh, establishing control of over 40% of

456-458: A report by the Memorial human rights society, which sent its mission to Goranboy in the aftermath of the operation, there were no civilian casualties, as Armenians had fled the region before the Azerbaijani troops approached them. The population of the neighboring Azerbaijani and Russian villages remained unaffected. On July 4, 1992, after a long siege, Azerbaijani forces captured the largest town in

532-445: 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. The Armenian MoD denied that this came from its territory, while Artsakh stated that Armenian forces had targeted and destroyed the Ganja military airbase on Ganja International Airport , which they alleged was used to bombard Artsakh's capital Stepanakert and also stated that

608-623: A residential area in Ganja. Ganja, located 400–450 meters (1312 to 1476 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. The city borders on the administrative rayons of Goygol to

684-526: A soldier of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (founder and the first president of Turkish Republic). He also held some pan-Turanian views, for which he enjoyed the support of the leader of the Turkish Nationalist Movement Party , Colonel Alparslan Türkeş . In April 1993, he attended the funeral of President Turgut Özal in Istanbul , a person who shared his beliefs for a potential Turkic union from

760-549: A temporary cultural decline after an earthquake in 1139 , when the city was taken by king Demetrius I of Georgia and its gates taken as trophies which is still kept in Georgia , and again after the Mongol 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

836-485: A wide variety of trees and plants in an open concept. 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. Heydar Aliyev Park Complex includes an Amphitheater considered for organizing large outdoor events for up to 5000 people. The city has one professional football team, Kapaz , currently competing in

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912-517: Is Gandzak ( Գանձակ ), which derives from gandz ( գանձ ), a loan word from Old Iranian , which means treasure or riches. The founder of the Hethumid dynasty , Oshin of Lampron was an Armenian nakharar (prince) and lord of a castle near Ganja who fled to Cilicia in 1075 during the Seljuk invasion of Armenia. The city's historically important Armenian figures include: The urban landscape of Ganja

988-602: Is also home to Nizami Ganjavi Museum , which was built in 2014. The museum contains a research section, a library, a conference room, and corners for guests and tourists' relaxation. 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. Ganja State Art Gallery

1064-408: Is observed. Blizzard is seen in 0.2 days annually. Today, Ganja is divided into 2 rayons (administrative districts). The mayor, presently Niyazi Bayramov embodies the executive power of the city. Ganja includes 6 administrative settlements, namely Hajikend , Javadkhan, Shikhzamanli, Natavan, Mahsati and Sadilli. Kapaz District ( Kəpəz rayonu ) was established on 21 November 1980 according to

1140-682: Is shaped by many communities. Religious diversity has however greatly decreased over the last decades, 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 are Shia Muslims , and the Republic of Azerbaijan has the second-highest Shia population percentage in the world after Iran . The city's notable mosques include Shah Abbas Mosque , Goy Imam Mosque , Shahsevenler Mosque , Qirikhli Mosque and Qazakhlar Mosque . There are some other faiths practiced among

1216-699: Is the Bottle house of Ganja . The Ganja State Philharmonic was established in August 1990 according to the decision of the Ministry of Culture of the Azerbaijan SSR . On 21 January 2012, president Ilham Aliyev laid the foundation of the Ganja State Philharmonic. The facility includes a 1,200 concert hall, an open-air cinema theatre, a drawing gallery, an urban center and an observation tower. The new building of

1292-639: 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. In 1935, Joseph Stalin renamed

1368-499: The Bishkek Protocol to cease hostilities on the frontline, and further solidified his power by organizing impeachment hearings and holding a national referendum on 29 August 1993, which formally stripped Elchibey of the presidency. In another national election , on 3 October 1993, Heydar Aliyev was elected as president of Azerbaijan with 99% of the votes. During Aliyev's presidency, Elchibey returned to Baku in 1997 and joined

1444-668: The Bottle House , Flag square, Hajikend resort zone. Goygol National Park with the sceneries of lake Goygol , lake Maralgol , Mount Kapaz and Mount Murov are located near Ganja. In 2016, Ganja was selected as the European Youth Capital by the final decision of international jury at the General Assembly of the European Youth Forum . Ganja became the first city to win the title of European Youth Capital among

1520-607: The Chirag oilfield . In this respect, one of Elchibey's goals in inviting Thatcher was to attract foreign entrepreneurs looking to do business in Azerbaijan. During a reception at the Gulustan Palace , he described Thatcher as being one who played a role in Azerbaijan achieving independence, saying that "she can see the fruits of the tree she planted". In 1992, during a visit to the Turkish capital of Ankara , Elchibey described himself as

1596-584: The First Nagorno-Karabakh War . After the Khojaly Massacre (26–27 February 1992), the fall of Shusha (8 May 1992) and Lachin (15–17 May 1992), the temporary Azerbaijani communist establishment led by Yaqub Mammadov could no longer hold power. Amidst disorder on the frontline, former Azerbaijani president Ayaz Mutalibov attempted a comeback two months after his resignation in a parliamentary coup on 14 May 1992, resulting in public outrage and

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1672-521: The Institute of Manuscripts of Azerbaijan and published over 50 scientific works on oriental philosophy, history, literature and religion. He assumed the nickname of Elchibey (Azerbaijani for "noble messenger") upon his leadership of the Azerbaijani Popular Front in 1990. Elchibey's rise to presidency came after the first round of heavy losses of Azerbaijan in the war against Armenia in

1748-532: The Ottomans between 1578–1606 and 1723–1735 during the prolonged Ottoman-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 forcefully ceded to neighbouring Imperial Russia. For a short period, Ganja was renamed Abbasabad by Shah Abbas after war against the Ottomans. He built a new city 8 kilometres (5 miles) to

1824-693: The Russian Empire following the Treaty of Gulistan in 1813, it became part of the administrative divisions of the Georgia Governorate , Georgia-Imeretia Governorate , Tiflis Governorate , and Elizavetpol Governorate . Following the dissolution of the Russian Empire and the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic , it became a part of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic , followed by Azerbaijan SSR , and, since 1991,

1900-819: The Safavid , the Afsharid , the Zand and the Qajar empires of Persia / Iran . Prior to the Iranian Zand and Qajar rule, following Nader Shah 's death, it was ruled locally for a few decades by the khans of the Ganja Khanate , who themselves were subordinate to the central rule in mainland Iran and were a branch of the Iranian Qajar family. Ganja is also the birthplace of the famous Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi . The people of Ganja experienced

1976-850: The 104th Guards Airborne Division of the Soviet Airborne Troops. However, after recuperating Huseynov did not march on Aghdara, but on Baku , intending to overthrow President Abulfez Elchibey in a military coup . In February 1993, direct evidence of treason by Azerbaijani Minister of Defense Rahim Gaziyev and Surat Huseynov was found in recorded conversation where Gaziyev was telling Huseynov about deliberate abandoning of Azerbaijani soldiers encircled in Hasanriz village by Armenians to their fate. Abulfaz Elchibey Abulfaz Gadirgulu oghlu Aliyev ( Azerbaijani : Əbülfəz Qədirqulu oğlu Əliyev ; 24 June 1938 – 22 August 2000), better known as Abulfaz Elchibey (Azerbaijani: Əbülfəz Elçibəy ),

2052-581: The 7th century. The area in which Ganja is located was known as Arran from the 9th to 12th century; its urban population spoke mainly in the Persian language . Historically an important city of the South Caucasus, Ganja has been part of the Sassanid Empire , Great Seljuk Empire , Kingdom of Georgia , Atabegs of Azerbaijan , Khwarezmid Empire , Il-Khans , Timurids , Qara Qoyunlu , Ak Koyunlu ,

2128-506: The Azerbaijani population were given warning to move away from military facilities to avoid collateral damage. 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 the COVID-19 pandemic , had been shelled. On 17 October, 21 civilians were killed and more than 50 injured when an Armenian SCUD B ballistic missile hit

2204-621: The Council of Ministers of the Azerbaijan SSR in September 1986. Before receiving "state theater" status in 1986, it was functioning as public theater. Ganja Puppet Theater operates in the building of Lutheran church constructed in 1885 by German settlers. 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. It features interesting landscaping, and consists of

2280-770: The Department of Arab Philology of the Faculty of Oriental Studies. He worked as a translator and later as a lecturer of history at the Baku State University. From 1963 to 1964 he lived in Egypt, working as a translator. He soon joined the Soviet dissident movement , supporting the re-establishment of Azerbaijani independence. He was arrested in 1975 on charges of defaming the Soviet Union and spent 18 months in prison. Thereafter he worked at

2356-668: 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. Two regional channels, Kapaz TV and Alternativ TV, are headquartered in Ganja. Two newspapers are published in Ganja ( Gəncənin səsi and Novosti Qyandji ). The building of the Ganja State Drama Theater

Operation Goranboy - Misplaced Pages Continue

2432-536: The Republic of Azerbaijan . The name Ganja derives from the Persian word ganj ( Middle Persian : ganj ), meaning "treasure" or "treasury". It was called Janza in Arabic sources and Gandzak in Armenian sources. The explanation that the city was named this after its founder discovered treasure nearby ( see below ) is considered a folk etymology . According to one view, the city may have been named after Ganzak ,

2508-517: The Republic of Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation. Elchibey was described as being "vehemently anti-Iranian " in his policies, this being due in part to their perception of an Iranian–Armenian alliance. Elchibey endorsed the unification of Azerbaijan with the region that is known as Iranian Azerbaijan , a stance which alienated the Iranian government . During a visit to Turkey, he called for

2584-730: The Russians were victorious in the Russo-Persian War of 1804–1813. By the Treaty of Gulistan that followed, Iran was forced to cede the Ganja Khanate to Russia. The Iranians briefly managed to oust the Russians from Ganja during the 1826 offensive during the Russo-Persian War of 1826–1828 , but the resulting Treaty of Turkmenchay made its inclusion into the Russian Empire permanent. It was renamed Yelizavetpol ( Елизаветполь ) after

2660-495: The Russians, led by General Pavel Tsitsianov , invaded and sacked Ganja , sparking the Russo-Persian War of 1804–1813 . 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". They also claim that "500 of them were slaughtered in a mosque where they had taken refuge, after an Armenian apprised the Russians that there might have been 'Daghestani robbers' among them". With their military superiority,

2736-752: The Soviet 4th Army and other elements of the Transcaucasus Military District from Azerbaijan, which became the first former Soviet republic (after the Baltic states ) free of Soviet military presence. At the same time, Elchibey's government established the national Azerbaijani Navy and managed to reach an agreement with Russia on receiving one-quarter of the Soviet Caspian Flotilla based in Baku. Upon his election, Elchibey appointed Isgandar Hamidov ,

2812-515: The Soviet politician Sergei Kirov , a name which the city retained throughout most of the rest of the Soviet period. In 1989, during perestroika , the city regained its original name of Ganja ( Azerbaijani : Gəncə ), which is known as Gyandzha ( Гянджа , [ɡʲɪnˈdʑa] ) in Russian, Gyanja ( Գյանջա ) or Gandzak ( Գանձակ ) in Armenian, and Ganjeh ( گنجه ) in Persian . According to

2888-548: The West. However, Elchibey's attempted reforms were put to a halt by the 1993 coup. According to historian Audrey Altstadt , Elchibey faced several major problems during his tenure as president: "the war in Nagorno-Karabagh (with loss of land and creation of refugees), inflation and related economic problems (including slow progress on an oil deal with foreign investors), and the remnants of Russian-Soviet control and influence of

2964-543: The age of 50 and women with previous military training. The newly conscripted men now numbered 15,000. The thrust made by the Azerbaijanis ground to a halt when their armor was driven off by helicopter gunships. It was claimed that many of the crew members of the armored units in the Azerbaijani-launched assault were Russians from the 104th Guards Airborne Division based out of Ganja and, ironically enough, so were

3040-443: The aim to promote the national ideology and policies of Elchibey. Ganja, Azerbaijan Ganja ( / ˈ ɡ æ n dʒ ə / ; Azerbaijani : Gəncə [ɟænˈdʒæ] ) is Azerbaijan 's third largest city , with a population of around 335,600. The city has been a historic and cultural center throughout most of its existence. It was the capital of the Ganja Khanate until 1804; after Qajar Iran ceded it to

3116-484: The ammunition was flown to Armenia by Antonov An-124 military cargo planes. After the reorganization of the NKR Defense Army, the tide of Azerbaijani advances was stopped. By September–December 1992 Azerbaijan's army was exhausted and suffered heavy losses. Faced with an imminent defeat, Surat Huseynov moved what was left of his army out of Martakert and back to Ganja , where it could be recuperated and restocked by

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3192-451: The anonymous medieval Arabic history Tarikh Bab al-abwab , the city of Ganja was founded in 859–60 by Muhammad ibn Khalid ibn Yazid ibn Mazyad , the Arab governor of the region during 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

3268-600: The campaign ending in failure. On 18 August 1992, Elchibey signed a decree on Azerbaijan's entry into the International Monetary Fund and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development . On 7 and 8 September 1992, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher visited Baku on an unofficial visit as a guest of Elchibey. During her visit, she oversaw the signing ceremony of an agreement between Azerbaijan, BP and Statoil on exploratory work at

3344-430: The center of Nagorno-Karabakh. The Azerbaijani troops attacked positions to the north and south of Askeran. As a result of fierce fighting the Azerbaijanis managed to establish control over several settlements in the Askeran region: Nakhichevanik , Dovşanlı , Pirjamal , Dahraz , and Agbulaq . On 13 June 1992, Azerbaijan launched the main large-scale three-day offensive against the region of Goranboy (the territory of

3420-457: The central rule in mainland Iran and were from a branch of the Iranian Qajar family. From the late 18th century, Russia actively started to increase its encroachments into Iranian and Turkish territory to the south. Following the annexation of eastern Georgia in 1801, Russia was now keen to conquer the rest of the Iranian possessions in the Caucasus . Russian expansion into the South Caucasus met particularly strong opposition in Ganja. In 1804,

3496-420: The city Kirovabad after Sergei Kirov . In 1991, Azerbaijan re-established its independence, and the ancient name of the city was given back. For many years the 104th Guards Airborne Division of the Soviet Airborne Troops was based in the town. In November 1988, the Kirovabad pogrom forced the local Armenian population to leave the city. Reconstruction in the 21st century has led to dramatic changes in

3572-486: The city of Ganja was founded in 846–47 in the canton of Arshakashen by "Mahmed son of Xałtʿ" (i.e., Muhammad ibn Khalid). The 14th-century Persian historian Hamdallah Mustawfi instead claims that the city was founded in 659–60, when the Arab armies first arrived in the South Caucasus . However, the Persian origin of Ganja's name suggests that there was an older pre-Islamic town there. According to some sources, it changed hands between Persians, Khazars and Arabs even in

3648-440: The city's urban development, transforming the old Soviet city into a hub of high-rise, mixed-use buildings. In 2008, Ganja Mausoleum Gates were built on the basis of sketches of ancient Ganja gates made by local master Ibrahim Osmanoğlu in 1063. In 2020, during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict , Ganja came under bombardment by Armenian armed forces several times, killing 32 civilians and injuring dozens more. On 11 October,

3724-442: The decision of Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan SSR . The district consists of 2 administrative territorial units and 6 administrative settlements. It has an area of approximately 70 square kilometers (27 sq mi) with the population of 178,000. 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

3800-563: The different ethnic groups within the country. The other faith worshipping places include Alexander Nevsky Church , German Lutheran Church , Saint John Church and Saint Sarkis Church. Before the Kirovabad pogrom in 1988 a significant community of Armenian Christians existed. According to the State 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. 162,300 of total population are men, 170,300 are women. More than 26 percent of

3876-574: The downfall of the Iranian Islamic Republic, which prompted a member of the Iranian parliament to threaten retaliation against the Republic of Azerbaijan. Elchibey paid a visit to Ukraine on 12 November 1992, during which he said that, from the former republics of the Soviet Union , relations with Ukraine would be prioritized by Azerbaijan. On 9 June 1993, as rebellious troops were advancing onto Baku, President Elchibey invited Heydar Aliyev , former Soviet Politburo member and then head of Nakhchivan (and no relation to Elchibey, whose real surname

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3952-440: The former Commonwealth Independent States (CIS) and non-EU cities. It was an event with a budget of 5.7 million euros, projected to boost tourism by about one-fifth. Some of the city landmarks include Gates of Ganja . As of 2012 , the city along with Baku and Lankaran participates in Earth Hour movement. Ganja State History-Ethnography Museum is the oldest museum in the city, with over 30,000 artifacts. The city

4028-412: The former Shahumyan rayon of Azerbaijan SSR) located north of Nagorno-Karabakh, which was defended by the Armenian volunteer detachments. This offensive was code-named Operation Goranboy (named after the rayon that lies to the north of former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO)) and headed by Surat Huseynov . As many as 4 tank battalions and 2 mechanized infantry battalions of the 23rd Division of

4104-468: The former Soviet Union Army, as well as 4 additional battalions of the Azerbaijan Army and various brigades from the neighboring regions, were joined in this operation. After 15 hours of fierce fighting against the Azerbaijani forces, the two Armenian detachments withdrew. Azerbaijan managed to capture several dozen villages in the Goranboy region originally held by the Armenian forces, and the entire Armenian civilian population of this region fled. According to

4180-407: The former Soviet Union. During his one-year rule, Azerbaijani–Russian relations were damaged, with his politics being described in this regard as "anti-Russian." He was noted for using an interpreter when speaking to Russian figures, despite being fluent in the Russian language as he was educated in the USSR. Often teasing the Russian leadership, he once declared that among the Russians who did

4256-462: The greatest services to democracy was Tatarstan President Mintimer Shaimiev and in a congratulatory telegram sent in connection with the adoption of a new Tatar constitution, Elchibey wrote that "the heroic Tatar people" have contributed to the "awakening and revival of the Turkic world". On 12 September 1992, he paid a visit to Moscow, during which he signed, along with Boris Yeltsin , the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Security between

4332-407: The military overthrow of Mutalibov by the Azerbaijani Popular Front in Baku on 15 May 1992. The national presidential election with 7 candidates was held on 7 June 1992 in which Elchibey was elected the President of Azerbaijan, gaining 54% of votes and becoming Azerbaijan's first democratically elected, non-communist president. During the summer of 1992, Elchibey secured the full withdrawal of

4408-422: The old order. The most immediately pressing problem was unrest around Baku ." During his tenure, Elchibey had to contend with an administration staffed by former Communists and military forces that were not under his control. He positioned himself as a pan-Turkist while holding hostile views towards Iran and Russia. Abulfaz Aliyev studied Arabic at the Baku State University and graduated in 1957 from

4484-423: The opposition as the leader of Azerbaijani Popular Front Party . In 2000, Elchibey was diagnosed with prostate cancer and died in August of the same year in a military hospital in Ankara, Turkey. His body was flown to Baku and given the state funeral at the Alley of Honor with special attendance by then-President Heydar Aliyev. The Elchibey Institute in Azerbaijan was created on 17 November 2020 in Baku with

4560-428: The population (about 86,500 persons) consists of young people and teenagers aged 14–29. 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. There are porcelain , silk and footwear industries. Other industries process food, grapes and cotton from

4636-512: The pre-Muslim capital of Adurbadagan . The city was renamed Yelizavetpol (Russian: Елизаветпо́ль , romanized : Yelizavetpól' , IPA: [jɪlʲɪzəvʲɪtˈpolʲ] ) in 1813, when it was part of the Russian Empire . After its incorporation into the Soviet Union , it was initially renamed back to Ganja ( Gyandzha ) in 1924, but in 1935 the name was changed again to Kirovabad (Russian: Кироваба́д , romanized : Kirovabád , IPA: [kʲɪrəvɐˈbat] ) in honor of

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4712-449: The region by the fall of 1992 and approaching within 7 kilometers of Shusha. However, as the Azerbaijani offensive pushed further into Karabakh, it became further bogged down in controversy, mismanagement, corruption and treachery by Elchibey-appointed Defense Minister Rahim Gaziyev , along with the guerilla tactics of the NKR Army in mountain warfare . This led to unexpectedly heavy Azeri casualties, loss of heavy military equipment, and

4788-445: The region, Martakert , also known as Aghdara. The Armenian forces left being outnumbered but forced serious casualties and loss of weapons and equipment to Azeri forces. The scale of the Azerbaijani offensive prompted the government of Armenia to openly threaten Azerbaijan that it would overtly intervene and assist the separatists fighting in Karabakh. According to Robert Kocharyan , by this time Azerbaijan had captured more than 48% of

4864-412: The skyline of Ganja, building towering mosques and houses from red bricks. Among the oldest surviving examples of Islamic architecture in Ganja are the Nizami Mausoleum and Shah Abbas Caravanserai , which assisted the Shahs during their siege of the city. The area around and inside the mosques, contains many fine examples of traditional architecture like Chokak Bath . Another interesting building

4940-433: The south, west and north-west and Samukh to the north-east. Ganja has a cool 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. Winters are cold and may see snow, with 5 days per year in which snow cover

5016-402: The southwest of the old one, but the name changed back to Ganja during the time. During the Safavid rule, it was the capital of the Karabakh province. In 1747, Ganja became the center of the Ganja Khanate for a few decades following the death of Nader Shah , until the advent of the Iranian Zand and Qajar dynasties . The khans/dukes who de facto self-ruled the khanate, were subordinate to

5092-515: The surrounding farmlands. The city has one of the largest textile conglomerates in Azerbaijan and is famous for a fabric named Ganja silk , which received the highest marks in the markets of neighboring countries and the Middle East . People are mainly employed in manufacturing, education, transportation, service sectors and catering. Det.Al-Aluminium is the largest employer operating in Ganja, followed by Ganja Auto Plant and Ganja Winery Plant 2. Traditional shops, modern shops and malls create

5168-409: The territory of the former NKAO , creating a situation of panic among Armenians. On June 18, 1992, a state of emergency was announced throughout the NKR. On August 15, the State Defense Committee of the NKR was created, headed by Robert Kocharyan . Partial mobilization was called for, which covered sergeants and privates in the NKR, NKR men available for military service aged 18–40, officers up to

5244-464: 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. The foundation of the city by the Arabs in the 9th century is supported by the medieval Armenian historian Movses Kaghankatvatsi , who mentions that

5320-409: The units who eventually stopped them. According to an Armenian government official, they were able to persuade Russian military units to bombard and effectively halt the advance within a few days. According to Russian General Lev Rokhlin , Russian effectively supplied Armenians with T-72 tanks and fifty BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles from its military base in Mozdok in the summer of 1992. Most of

5396-410: The wife of Alexander I of Russia , Elizabeth , and in 1840 became the capital of the Elizavetpol uezd and later in 1868, the Elizavetpol Governorate. The Russian name of the city was rejected by the local Azerbaijanis, who continued call it Ganja . Ganja—known then as Yelizavetpol—was one of the main sites of the Armenian–Tatar massacres of 1905–07 . In 1918, Ganja became the temporary capital of

5472-470: Was Aliyev), to Baku for negotiations with Surat Huseynov . Aliyev quickly took control of the power, becoming the Chairman of the Azerbaijani parliament on 15 June 1993 and offering the prime ministership of the country to Huseynov. Nine days later, in the vacuum of power left by Elchibey's departure to Nakhchivan, Aliyev constitutionally assumed presidential powers in his capacity as parliament speaker. He signed

5548-466: Was an Azerbaijani politician, Azerbaijani nationalist and Soviet dissident who was the first and only democratically elected President in post-Soviet Azerbaijan. He was the leader of the Azerbaijani Popular Front and played an important role in achieving Azerbaijan's independence from the Soviet Union. Elchibey was elected as the president of Azerbaijan in independent Azerbaijan's first free election. He served from 17 June 1992 until his overthrow in

5624-492: 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. Ganja State Puppet Theater was established according to Decree No. 299 of

5700-467: Was established in April 1984 according to the decision of Council of Ministers of Azerbaijan SSR . The Gallery is headed by the carpet-artist Faig Osmanov. Ganja is primarily known for its Azerbaijani and Islamic architecture , but its buildings reflect the various peoples and empires that have previously ruled the city. During the Ganja Khanate period, the Khans proceeded to make an indelible impression on

5776-419: Was restored and the city was renamed as Ganja instead of Kirovabad in 1989, the district was also renamed as Nizami rayon . The district consists of 2 administrative territorial units. The area of the district is roughly 39 square kilometers (15 sq mi) and population is 148,000. Ganja is the third largest city of Azerbaijan after Baku and Sumqayit with about 335,600 residents. The city is also inhabited by

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