Gakh
Gakh
In the north-west of Azerbaijan, at the foot of the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus, is located the picturesque city - Gakh. The distance between Baku and Gakh is 345 kilometers. The city is located at an altitude of 500 meters above sea level. Pleasant climate, springs with clear water, clean air, green in summer, and in winter snow-capped mountains, mountain rivers and waterfalls are the decoration of the Gakh region.
Icheribazaar is an old quarter, founded at the beginning of the XVIIIth century in the center of Gakh. The quarter consists of dozens of tiled houses and 2 fortress walls. There is also a 300-seat open-air theater, Nasimi Park, craft workshops. In the 80s of the XIXth century, there was a forge of the father of the outstanding composer and public figure Muslim Magomayev - the master Mahomet Kishi.
Kurmukh Church (XIIIth century)
The Church of St. George, or the Kurmukh Church, is a cathedral in the name of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious in the Khornabuja and Eretsk diocese of the Georgian Orthodox Church in the Kurmukh Gorge near the city of Gakh, in the Gakh region of Azerbaijan. Kurmukh, is an ancient Albanian temple, and a place of pilgrimage for both Muslims and Christians. The keeper of the traces of ancient Albanian religious buildings of the early Middle Ages, the Kurmukh Temple is a place of pilgrimage for thousands of people, adherents of different faiths. This temple is an example of the fact that, having adopted monotheistic religions - Christianity and Islam, the locals did not forget their ancient belief system. Kurmukh Temple is built on the ruins of an ancient Albanian monastery of the early Middle Ages. As a result of archaeological excavations in 2006, the remains of ancient buildings were found in the temple.
Kurmukh Basilica
Basilica in the village. Kum - a church (basilica) of the V-VIth centuries in the Tsakhur village of Kum, on the bank of Kum river, in the Gakh region of Azerbaijan.
. One of the few surviving architectural monuments of Caucasian Albania. The basilica is a rectangular room divided by two rows of pillars into three naves. Characteristic features of the composition: the presence of an external gallery, the lack of communication between the altar and the side rooms, horseshoe-shaped arches, a combination of brick and stone in masonry, as well as other details make it similar to a similar monument of the Byzantine era. Kurmukh Basilica with its clear plan and expressive architectural composition belongs to the group of monuments that, apparently, complete the early stage in the development of temples of the basilic type of Transcaucasia.
Ulu Korpu
Ulu Korpu is a bridge located above the Kurmukh river in the Gakh region of Azerbaijan, two kilometers from the village of Ilisu. During the Ilisu Sultanate, the bridge was the only point that connected Ilisu with the lowland. Ulu Korpu was built at the turn of the XIX-XX centuries by craftsman Omar. Built by the skilled craftsmen of Ilisu, whose names are still unknown, the Ulu Korpu bridge has been stubbornly resisting the continuous onslaught of a turbulent river for three centuries and today serves the people. Its name is Ulu, which means "old, ancient", it was received much later.
Lekit Temple
Lekit Temple was erected in the V-VIth centuries.
If we take into account the architectural style and the date of its construction, we can agree with the version that the Lekit Temple was founded in the era of Greco-philism (IV-VII centuries). And this, in turn, gives reason to believe that this monument was built during the second stage of the spread of Christianity in Caucasian Albania. Lekit Temple is the oldest building on the territory of Caucasian Albania. The temple, which has a cylindrical shape, is covered by a hall with a diameter of 22 meters. Inside the temple building, around the carved columns, round-shaped columns are placed. The entrance to the temple is located on the west side. On the east side, two rooms with doors adjoin the sacristy. Presumably, one of them served as an altar, the other was intended for worship. The masonry of the walls of the temple is lined with cobblestone, and the inner columns are fired with bricks. In the construction of the main arches and external supporting structures, local limestone was used. The local population still calls this stone "shirndash" that is, a fresh stone. In the courtyard of the temple there were other building constructions. During excavations, 30 meters from the temple, the ruins of a kapalni built for the baptismal rite were discovered. The pit for household needs and the location of the caravanserai were also preserved in the courtyard of the temple. The doors of the temple courtyard open to the west.
Lekit Monastery
Monastery Complex Yeddi Kilsia (Seven Churches) is located on the highest northern point of the village, in the forest by the road leading from Lakita to Kotuklu. The monastery was called "Yeddi Kilsia"(Seven Churches) because it consists of 2 basilicas and 5 small chapels. The now-famous people under the name "Yeddie Kilsia " the grandiose Albanian monastery complex for a long time was the center of the bishopric of the Albanian church. The complex has the ruins of nine monuments dating back to the beginning of our era. Not enough information has been preserved about the history of the temple. However, it is assumed that the temple was built in the IV-V centuries, during the heyday of Christianity in Caucasian Albania. This complex differs from the religious architectural monuments of Azerbaijan by the uniqueness of its beautiful layout. It is one of the most ancient monastery complexes of Caucasian Albania. Since 1980, archaeological research has been conducted on the territory of the monastery intermittently. They showed that a large, majestic complex once existed on this territory. Along with religious and civil buildings, the complex included protective walls with gates, a chapel and a small tower called Kilsia Galasy (Church Tower). The monastery complex "Yeddy Kilsia" is one of the largest complexes that have survived to this day.