Incredible

AZERBAIJAN | Tuesday, 2 July 2013 | Views [637] | View Larger Image

A view of ancient fortress in Gabala Qabala is ancient capital of the Caucasian Albania. Archeological evidence indicates that the city functioned as the capital of the Caucasian Albania as early as the 4th century BC.[4] Ruins of the ancient town are in 15 km from regional center, allocated on the territory between Garachay and Jourluchay rivers.[5] Qabala was located in the middle of the 2500 old Silk Road and was mentioned in works of Pliny the Younger as "Kabalaka", Greek geographer Ptolemy as "Khabala", Arabic historian Ahmad ibn Yahya al-Baladhuri as "Khazar". In the 19th century, the Azerbaijani historian Abbasgulu Bakikhanov mentioned in his book Gulistani Irem that Kbala or Khabala were in fact Qabala. In the 60s BC, Roman troops attacked Caucasian Albania but did not succeed in capturing the Qabala territory. In 262 AD, Caucasian Albania was occupied by Sassanid Empire but preserved its political and economic status. In 464, it lost its independence due to years of invasions from the northern nomadic tribes and had to move its capital city to Partava (currently Barda in Azerbaijan). Qabala was occupied by Shirvanshah Fariburz, King David IV of Georgia in 1120, Mongol khan Timurleng in 1386, Safavid shah Tahmasib I in 1538, Persian Nader Shah in 1734 but was able to preserve its culture and identity. After the death of Nader Shah in 1747, Azerbaijan split into independent khanates and sultanates and Qabala became a Qutqashen Sultanate. It was also called Qabala Mahali. After Azerbaijan was occupied by Russian Empire in 1813 it conducted administrative reforms and in 1841 Azerbaijani khanates were terminated and the territories were incorporated into governorates. Qabala area was added to Nukha uyezd of Elisabethpol Governorate. Due to archeological finds in Qabala, it was declared a National State Reserve in 1985.[6]

Tags: from wikipedia, the free encyclopedia for the administrative dis, see qabala rayon. coordinates: 40°5853?n 47°50, 2nd left:the ruin of qabala fortress, 2nd right:a medieval juma mosque in imam baba tom, 3rd left:statue of ismayil bey gutqashenli, 3rd right:gabala international music festival, bottom:qabaland amusement park qabala coord, 569 ft) population (2011)[1] • total 12, 808 time zone azt (utc+4) • summer (dst) azt (