Ganja

Municipality: Ganja Area: 1000 km² Altitude: -100 m Population: 300,000 census 2003 Postal Code: AZ1000 Area code: 016 Municipality code: GA Mayor: Eldar Azizov

"Kirovabad" redirects here. For the city in Tajikistan, see Pyandj.

Ganja (Azerbaijani Gəncə) historically an important city of Iran (Persia) is Azerbaijan's second largest city. Ganja is the birthplace of the famous classical Persian poet Nizami.

The city was most likely founded in the 5th century AD. To explain the etymology of "Ganja", people refer either to the Persian word of ganj (گنج: "treasure, treasury", of Persian origin), or to the Turkic word of genç ("young"). The first theory is considered more probable and is mentioned in the related historical texts, and the supporters of that theory tell that the theory points that there having existed a much older, pre-Islamic town there.

People of Ganja experienced cultural decline after an earthquake in 1139 and the Mongol invasion in the 1231. The city was revived after the Safavids came to power. For a short period of time Ganja was being called Abbasabad, which it was renamed to after shah Abbas I. In 1747, Ganja became the capital of the independent Ganja Khanate. In October 1813 by the Gulistan Treaty, the city was transferred to the Russians after Persia's defeat in the Persia-Russia wars. It was renamed to Elizavetpol after the wife of Alexander I of Russia, Elizabeth.

In 1918 Ganja became a tempopary capital of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, which renamed it back to Ganja, until Baku was recaptured from the British backed Centro Caspian Dictatorship. In 1920 the Red Army conquered Azerbaijan and in 1935 Joseph Stalin renamed the city Kirovabad after Sergei Kirov. In 1991, Azerbaijan became independent, and the ancient name of the city was re-established.

Today Ganja is the second largest city in Azerbaijan. The population is about 300,000. It has an airport, and is home to the Nizami Mausoleum, built in 1991.

Education

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Ganja is home to four major institutes of post-secondary education.

• Ganja State University
• Azerbaijan State Agricultural Academy
• Azerbaijan Technological University
• Azerbaijan Teachers Institute, Ganja Branch

Famous People

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Ganja is known for its famous people:

• Mahsati Ganjavi
• Nizami Ganjavi
• Javad khan
• Mirza Shafi Vazeh
• Mirza Topchubashov
• Israfil Mammadov
• Fikrat Amirov
• Stoney McWhat
• Turk Bozi Tga

External links

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• Iranica article on Ganja
• Ganja - The memories of stones
• Ganja at the Azerbaijan Development Gateway
• Historical Monuments of Ganja

Cities in Azerbaijan

Gəncə (şəhər) | Gandja | Gandja | Gäncä | Gəncə | Gandja | Ganĝa | Gandja | 간자 | ギャンジャ | განჯა | Gandża | Гянджа | Gyandzha | Gäncä | Gəncə | Gence