Today.Az » Society » Witness juxtaposition of ancient and natural ambiance in Ordubad
08 August 2014 [12:03] - Today.Az


By AzerNews

We have already traveled together around north and south of Azerbaijan. Now, it is the time to move to another region of this country of rich nature.

This time I invite you to discover Ordubad region of Nakhchivan, the little known territory of Azerbaijan, situated in the south-west of the Lesser Caucasus. Nakhchivan is not yet a tourist destination. This makes the town attractive for tourists who avoid crowded places.

You can travel there by plane from the capital city, Baku or the second largest city of Ganja. Ordubad, a pearl of Nakhchivan, is a flourishing garden with beautiful nature, hospitable people and colorful traditions.

Ordubad is one of the most important cities in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. It was once the capital of a semi-independent sultanate. The city is situated at the foothills of the Zangezur range, at the bank of Ordubadchay river.

From ancient times, flowers were sent from here to Tabriz, and still Ordubad is one of Azerbaijan's flower trade centers, making this land of particular interest to tourists.

Rich flora and fauna, fresh clean air, unique medicinal herbs are awaiting for you here. You might hear while staying in Baku about juicy and sweet peaches, pears, grapes, and apricots from Ordubad, which are very popular around the country. Ordubad is also noted for its plane trees and walnuts.

The city is surrounded not only by varied orchards but also by mulberry plantations. Silk produced here made Ordubad very popular from medieval.

Plenty of historical monuments, interesting architecture and picturesque landscapes make Ordubad attractive for history and antique lovers. Unusual architecture of medieval city and over 110 historical and archeologi­cal monuments made Ordubad a reserve town in 1977.

There are also places you need to see outside the city. One of the most famous places by rock paintings in Azerbaijan is situated at the mountain Gemigaya 60 km to the south from Ordubad. Thousands of petroglyphs are there to tell you about life and world of man living 3-2 thousand years B?.

One of the main legends in Ordubad is Noachian deluge legend. The legend says that Noah's boat hit the land at Gemigaya mountain and it is believed that traces of an anchored ship are still evident at a place called Ayi Chukhuru on Gemi­gaya.

Scientists say there is an ancient engraving associated with Noah on Ge­migaya. August is a time to visit the Gemigaya reserve to climb the mountain, enjoy the view and examine rock engravings.

"Must see" list in Ordubad also includes Juma mosque with arched niches at the facade, Geysariyya and Zorkhana monuments, Gilan Ruins, Pazmari waterfall and Goygol Lake of particular beauty, numerous mosques and towers. Pay a visit to the history museum as well to see more other interesting exhibits.

The city is also famous for being a hometown of Nasir al-Din al-Tusi - writer, astronomer, biologist, chemist, mathematician, and philosopher who was born here in 13th century. A section of the Ordubad museum is dedi­cated to 450 scientists, artists and politi­cians born in the city.

Ordubad has fascinating neighborhoods with their own squares, mosques, gardens, water springs and bathhouses, which are of particular interest from architectural point of view.

In one of its neighborhoods called Gulabi-Ambaras you can find a house where inventor of catalytic processing of oil and gas Academician Yusif Mammadaliyev was born and grew up. This house is now a UNESCO museum.

While tasting food here, do not forget to try famous scrambled egg, unusual milk dish Gurut, delicious apricots and visit teahouses to drink sweet-scented tea and enjoy the atmosphere.

The perfect souvenir from Ordubad is walnut jam. The walnuts season is in September-October, but in August, you can find freshly prepared walnut jam, made from green walnuts.

Ordubad is a perfect place to visit in August to fully enjoy the beauties and attractions of a medieval city.

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