Azerbaijan is a country of picturesque places with interesting sights, but each city is rich and attractive with its history. Today we will talk about the amazing city of Azerbaijan - Lankaran, which attracts tourists who love architecture, historical museums, attractions and, of course, holidays in resorts and recreation centers on the Caspian Sea.
Historical reference
Lankaran is considered one of the ancient cities of Azerbaijan. Archaeological excavations in places located next to it confirm that people lived here during the Bronze Age, that is, in 2-3 millennia BC. e. There is an interesting version of the origin of the name of the city. The Azerbaijani word "Lengerkunan" is translated as "anchorage" or "port". It is very possible that what archaeologists discovered was the first port on the Caspian.
The time of the founding of the city dates from about the X century BC e. Being on the trade route connecting East and West, the city was constantly developing. Historical data confirm that until the sixteenth century the Lankaran was owned by the Seljuks, then the Safavid dynasty. The capital of the Talysh Khanate was Lankaran in the 18th-19th centuries. It entered the Russian state after the capture of the Lankaran fortress by Russian troops. As part of Azerbaijan, Lankaran since 1991.
Crafts and trade
The location of the city plays a huge role in its development. The place that was successfully chosen for the construction of the city, the richness of natural resources and soil fertility have contributed over the centuries to engage the population in the most profitable craft for the city - trade. The goods were pottery and copper products made by artisans.
Goods such as honey and silk were bought by merchants and exported to Russia, Turkey, and the countries of Central Asia. On fertile soils, good yields of rice, tea, and grain crops have been and are currently being cultivated. In the district of Lankaran, Azerbaijan has developed horticulture, livestock complexes, fishing and hunting.
Climate and weather features
The peculiar weather conditions in Lankaran include a subtropical climate with warm winters and very hot and dry summers. Precipitation that falls mainly in the autumn months. The coldest month of the year is January. The temperature at this time ranges from - 9 ° C to + 8 ° C. And during the hottest month - July, the temperature column rises to + 30 ° C. Such climatic conditions allow lovers of swimming in the Caspian Sea to enjoy their holidays from May to October. During these months, the weather in Lankaran in Azerbaijan is favorable not only for relaxation, but also for health improvement in the balneological resort of the city, in thermal springs.
Lankaran Tourism
Azerbaijan is a country of developed tourism. Lankaran has all the conditions for a successful tourism business. Only the Caspian Sea alone attracts vacationers with its beach areas. There are also lovers of fishing tourism who come to the Caspian Sea from year to year. A large number of hotels are ready to provide their comfortable rooms to tourists who have come to rest.
Lankaran is conditionally divided into several tourist zones, and in any of them vacationers will find what they went to Azerbaijan for.
Holidays in Lankaran on the Caspian coast with black sand prevailing on the beaches, which have a healing peculiarity, is a coastal recreation area. The gaftoninsky recreation area is a place with sanatoriums and magical hot springs - Istisu. It is also interesting for tourists who are fond of ecotourism and those who are interested in attractions. The Narimanabad zone, located on the Sara peninsula, attracts tourists with its transparency of the Caspian Sea and snow-white beaches.
The resort city of Lankaran is a Muslim city, and therefore the beach areas are divided here: for men and for women. The beaches themselves are not in open space, but surrounded by trees, creating a pleasant shade on hot days.
sights
The main historical sights of Lankaran include the Lankaran fortress, built in the 18th century, the Kichik-Bazar mosque, built in the 19th century, and the house of Mirahmad Khan.
The fortress in Lankaran was one of the best in the Talysh Khanate. It was an impressive fortress in size. Huge stone walls, crowned with battlements, with tools mounted between them, large ditches, which during the defense were filled with water - all this had a frightening appearance for the enemies. In 1812, Russian troops captured the fortress. As a result, a peace treaty was signed.
One of the current attractions of Lankaran in Azerbaijan (pictured below) is a samovar.
The city is famous for its tea, which is grown on local plantations. Tourists can enjoy this wonderful drink, which is prepared in a samovar, as well as take a memory photo next to the huge samovar, which is installed on the Tea Square of the city.
House of Mirahmad Khan
Almost in the center of the city in 1913 the house of Mirahmad Khan was built. It is considered to be a beautiful building, very similar to a palace. An architect from France supervised the construction, but the elements decorating this house used the techniques of national decor. During the construction, white and red bricks were used, and the entrance is decorated with animals of mythical origin. What is noteworthy, this was the first multi-story building in Lankaran.
No less interesting and somewhere sad is the history of the construction of this house. Mirahmad Khan ordered its construction in honor of the victory of his wife in the contest of beauties of Transcaucasia. The building was nationalized after the revolution, and the tragic fate befell the tenants themselves. Currently, this house houses the local history museum, which contains valuable exhibits related to the history of the region.
Hanega
The sights of Lankaran include the cult Muslim complex - Hanega. You can get into it by heading along the ancient road leading to Iran, walking along the Pirsagat River. This is a well-preserved quadrangle of fortress walls with loopholes, hidden from the eyes of tourists. Hanega is a monument of medieval architecture, decorated with ceramics and exquisite stone carvings. It was built in the XII-XIV centuries, at a later time it was either completed or rebuilt. It was such a beautiful building that the ruthless Mongols, who all swept away in their path, did not touch it. Moreover, all the loot from this shrine was returned to the cult complex.
The cult Muslim complex of Haneghi includes the tomb of Pir Hussein and the minaret. The mosque was built in the middle of the XIII century from stone trimmed slabs and covered with a skillfully executed spherical dome. The decoration is tiled carvings and ornaments around the perimeter of the octagonal trunk of the mosque's minaret. The tomb is connected to the mosque. The tombstone was once covered with ceramic tiles. The main decoration of the tomb is a tiled 11-meter frieze. This place is considered a shrine in the Muslim world. The relics of the holy elder Pir-Hussein are stored here.
Souvenirs from Lankaran
Sightseeing tours of Lankaran are interesting and informative, so no matter what kind of vacation tourists choose, it is worthwhile to devote several hours to such activities. And also, leaving Lankaran, it is worth leaving a memory of her. As a souvenir, you can buy locally made silk or copper or brass dishes also from the workshops of Lankaran. Handmade backgammon or chess is sold in malls; a ceramic lamp will be a beautiful decoration. And most importantly - do not forget to buy a pack of Lenkoran tea.