Shaki
Encyclopedia
- "Şəki" redirects here; for the rayon, see Shaki Rayon; for the village, see Şəki (village); for the singer, see ShakiraShakiraShakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll , known professionally as Shakira , is a Colombian singer who emerged in the music scene of Colombia and Latin America in the early 1990s...
.
Shaki is a city in northwestern Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
, in the rayon of the same name
Shaki (rayon)
Shaki , , is a rayon of Azerbaijan. It surrounds the city of Shaki....
.
Shaki is situated in northern Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
on the southern part of the Greater Caucasus
Greater Caucasus
Greater Caucasus , sometimes translated as "Caucasus Major", "Big Caucasus" or "Large Caucasus") is the major mountain range of the Caucasus Mountains....
mountain range, 325 km (201.9 mi) from Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
. The population of Shaki is 63,000.
Etymology
According to the Azerbaijani historians, the name of the town goes back to the ethnonym of the Sakas, who reached the territory of modern day Azerbaijan in the 7th century B.C. and populated it for several centuries. In the medieval sources, the name of the town is found in various forms such as Sheke, Sheki, Shaka, Shakki, Shakne, Shaken, Shakkan, Shekin.Geography and climate
Shaki is surrounded by snowy peaks of the Greater CaucasusGreater Caucasus
Greater Caucasus , sometimes translated as "Caucasus Major", "Big Caucasus" or "Large Caucasus") is the major mountain range of the Caucasus Mountains....
, in some places reaching 3000–3600 m. Shaki's climate includes a range of cyclones and anticyclones, air masses and local winds. The average annual temperature in Sheki is 12 °C. In June and August, average temperature varies between 20 and 25 °C.
The mountain forests around the area prevent the city from floods and overheating of the area during summer. The main rivers of the city are the Kish
Kis, Shaki
Kiş is a village and municipality in the Shaki Rayon of Azerbaijan. It is located approximately 5 km north of Shaki. It has a population of 6,244.- History:...
and Gurjhana. During the Soviet rule of Azerbaijan, many ascended to Shaki to bathe in its prestigious mineral spring
Mineral spring
Mineral springs are naturally occurring springs that produce water containing minerals, or other dissolved substances, that alter its taste or give it a purported therapeutic value...
s.
History
There are traces of large-scale settlements in Shaki dating back to more than 2700 years ago. The Sakas were an Iranic peopleIranian peoples
The Iranian peoples are an Indo-European ethnic-linguistic group, consisting of the speakers of Iranian languages, a major branch of the Indo-European language family, as such forming a branch of Indo-European-speaking peoples...
that wandered from the north side of the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
through Derbend passage and to the South Caucasus
South Caucasus
The South Caucasus is a geopolitical region located on the border of Eastern Europe and Southwest Asia also referred to as Transcaucasia, or The Trans-Caucasus...
and from there to Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
in the 7th century B.C. They occupied a good deal of the fertile lands in South Caucasus in an area called Sakasena. The city of Shaki was one of the areas occupied by the Sakas. The original settlement dates back to the late Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
.
Shaki was one of the biggest cities of the Albanian
Caucasian Albania
Albania is a name for the historical region of the eastern Caucasus, that existed on the territory of present-day republic of...
states in the 1st century. The main temple of the ancient Albanians was located there. The kingdom of Shaki was divided into 11 administrative provinces. Shaki was one of the important political and economic cities before the Arab invasion. But as a result of the invasion, Shaki was annexed to the third emirate. An independent principality was established in times of a weakened Arabian caliphate
Caliphate
The term caliphate, "dominion of a caliph " , refers to the first system of government established in Islam and represented the political unity of the Muslim Ummah...
. The city was also ruled by Georgian Kingdom, Atabegs of Azerbaijan
Atabegs of Azerbaijan
The Ildegizids, Eldiguzids or Ildenizids, also known as Atabegs of Azerbaijan were a Turkic dynasty of Kipchak origin which controlled most of northwestern Persia/eastern Transcaucasia, including Arran, most of Azerbaijan, and Djibal...
and Khwarezmid Empire before Mongol invasion.
After the collapse of the Hulagu Khan's rule
Hulagu Khan
Hulagu Khan, also known as Hülegü, Hulegu , was a Mongol ruler who conquered much of Southwest Asia...
in the first half of the 14th century, Shaki gained independence under the rule of Sidi Ahmed Orlat. Shah Tahmasp put an end to the independence of Shaki in 1551 and annexed it to Safavid Empire with brief periods of Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
rule in 1578–1603 and 1724-1735. Shaki Khanate
Shaki Khanate
Shaki khanate was an Azerbaijani khanate on the territory of modern Azerbaijan between 1743 and 1819 with its capital in the town of Shaki.-History:...
was established in 1743, and was one of the strongest feudal states among the Caucasian khanates. During existence of Shaki khanate, the local population of the city was engaged in silkworm breeding, craft and trade. As a result of a flood in the river Kish, the city of Shaki was partially ruined and the population was resettled in the present day city. The Shaki khanate became a vassal of the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
in accordance with the second Treaty of Kurakchay of 1805.
The area was fully annexed by Russia by the Treaty of Gulistan in 1813 and the khanate was abolished in 1819 and the Shaki province was established in its place.
During its history, the town saw devastation many times and because of that, the oldest historic and architectural monuments currently preserved are dated to only the 16th-19th centuries. For many centuries, Shaki has been famous for being the center of silkworm-breeding. Originally located on the left bank of the river Kish, the town sat lower down the hill, however Shaki was moved to its present location after a devastating flood in 1772 and became the capital of Shaki Khanate
Shaki Khanate
Shaki khanate was an Azerbaijani khanate on the territory of modern Azerbaijan between 1743 and 1819 with its capital in the town of Shaki.-History:...
. As the new location was near the village of Nukha, the city also became known as Nukha, until 1968 when it reverted back to the name Shaki.
Economy
Shaki possesses a small silk industry and relies on its agricultural sector, which produces tobacco, grapeGrape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
s, cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
, nut
Nut (fruit)
A nut is a hard-shelled fruit of some plants having an indehiscent seed. While a wide variety of dried seeds and fruits are called nuts in English, only a certain number of them are considered by biologists to be true nuts...
s, cereals and milk. The main production facilities of Shaki are the silk factory, gas-power plant, brick factory, wine factory, sausage factory, conserve factory, and a dairy plant with its integrated big scale Pedigree Dairy Farm.
The city is particularly fruitful for tourism, both Azerbaijanis and foreigners spend vacations in the province. In 2010, Shaki was visited by 15,000 foreign tourists from all around the world.
Main piazza, palaces and castles
The central and main open city square is dominated by 2 Soviet towers.The Palace of Shaki Khans
Palace of Shaki Khans
The Palace of Shaki Khans in Shaki, Azerbaijan was a summer residence of Shaki Khans. It features decorative tiles, fountains and several stained-glass windows...
which was a summer residence of Shaki Khans
Shaki Khanate
Shaki khanate was an Azerbaijani khanate on the territory of modern Azerbaijan between 1743 and 1819 with its capital in the town of Shaki.-History:...
, still remains one of the most visible landmarks of Shaki. Constructed in 1762 without a single nail is one of the most marvelous monuments of its epoch. Displayed within the palace are Azerbaijani Khanate-era artifacts, as well as displays of the art scene, considered to be among the finest in the world.
The Shaki Castle which was built by the founder of the Shaki Khanate
Shaki Khanate
Shaki khanate was an Azerbaijani khanate on the territory of modern Azerbaijan between 1743 and 1819 with its capital in the town of Shaki.-History:...
Haji Chelebi Khan (1743–1755), near the village of Nukha on the southern foothills of the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
. The fortress walls are close to a thousand and two hundred meters long and over two meters thick. Protected by numerous bastions, the fortress is entered by two main gates from the north and south. At the height of the khanate, the fortress contained a gated palatial complex and public and commercial structures of the city, while the residential quarter was situated outside its walls. It was restored extensively between 1958 and 1963. Many years Shaki fortress safeguarded approaches to the city, the acts of bravery by its defendants of fight with foreign oppressors had been written in many history books. In Leo Tolstoy
Leo Tolstoy
Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy was a Russian writer who primarily wrote novels and short stories. Later in life, he also wrote plays and essays. His two most famous works, the novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all time and a pinnacle of realist...
's well-known Hadji Murat
Hadji Murat (novel)
Hadji Murat is a short novel written by Leo Tolstoy from 1896 to 1904 and published posthumously in 1912 . It is Tolstoy’s final work...
novel, Sheki fortress had selected as place of events.
Museums
Shaki hosts a wealth of historical museums and some of the most important in the country. The Shaki History Museum is one of the main museums, considered one of the most important for artifacts of the Khanate periodHistory of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan or Azarbaijan is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. It's bounded by Caspian Sea to the east, Russia's Daghestan region to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia and Turkey to the southwest, and Iran to the south...
.
As of 18th century, five big Caravanserai
Caravanserai
A caravanserai, or khan, also known as caravansary, caravansera, or caravansara in English was a roadside inn where travelers could rest and recover from the day's journey...
s (Isfahan, Tabriz, Lezgi, Ermeni and Taze) were active in Sheki but only two of them have survived. The upper and lower Caravanserais were built in 18th century and used by merchants to store their goods in cellars, who traded on the first floor, and lived on the second. Both Caravanserais includes view of all convenience and safety of merchants and their goods.
Religious buildings and structures
A home to ancient AlbanianCaucasian Albania
Albania is a name for the historical region of the eastern Caucasus, that existed on the territory of present-day republic of...
churches, the religion is highly important to the people of Shaki due to its historical religious diversity. There are many churches and mosques in the city. Some churches such as the Church of Kish
Church of Kish
The Church of Kish , also known by different sources as Church of Saint Elishe or Holy Mother of God Church , is a 12th or 13th century church located in the village of Kiş approximately 5 km north of Shaki, Azerbaijan...
in the vicinity of Shaki is thought to be approximately 1,500 years old. The Khan's Mosque, Omar Efendi Mosque and Gileili Minaret considered as the most important places of worship in the city.
Culture
Shaki has one of the greatest density of cultural resources and monuments that include 2700 years of Azerbaijani history. The city boasts a lot of houses with red roofs. In pop culture, probably the most famous feature of Shakinians are their nice sense of humourHumour
Humour or humor is the tendency of particular cognitive experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusement...
and comic tales. Shaki's comic tales hero Hacı dayı (Uncle Haji) is the subject of nearly all jokes in the area.
Art
Shaki has always played a central role in Azerbaijani art and more generally in the art and architecture of Azerbaijan. Under the name of Nukha, the city is the scene of much of the action in Brecht's play The Caucasian Chalk CircleThe Caucasian Chalk Circle
The Caucasian Chalk Circle is a play by the German modernist playwright Bertolt Brecht. An example of Brecht's epic theatre, the play is a parable about a peasant girl who rescues a baby and becomes a better mother than its natural parents....
.
Cuisine
Perhaps the best-known aspect of Shaki cooking is its rich sweet dishes. Shaki is traditionally held as the home of special type of baklavaBaklava
Baklava is a rich, sweet pastry made of layers of filo pastry filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey. It is characteristic of the cuisines of the former Ottoman Empire and much of central and southwest Asia....
, called Şəki halvası (Shaki Halva). Others include nabat boiled sugar and sweet pesheveng.
Shaki also has some famous dishes, including girmabadam, zilviya, piti
Piti (food)
Piti is a soup in cuisines of Caucasus and Central Asia prepared in the oven in individual crocks with a glazed interior . It is made with mutton and vegetables , infused with saffron water to add flavour and colour, and cooked in a sealed crock...
, a stew created with meat and potatoes and prepared in a terracotta pot.
Language
The city of Sheki has developed its own languageLanguage
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
, the Shaki dialect, which is mainly spoken in the city, and the region of Shaki Rayon. Residents of city known for their cheerful intonation of the words.
Twin towns — Sister cities
GabrovoGabrovo
Gabrovo is a city in central northern Bulgaria, the administrative centre of Gabrovo Province. It is situated at the foot of the central Balkan Mountains, in the valley of the Yantra River, and is known as an international capital of humour and satire , as well as noted for its Bulgarian National...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
Slutsk
Slutsk
Slutsk is a town in Belarus, located on the Sluch River south of Minsk. As of 2010 its population is of 61,400).-Geography:The town is situated in the south-west of its Voblast, not too far from from the city of Soligorsk.-History:...
, Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
Giresun
Giresun
Giresun is the provincial capital of Giresun Province in the Black Sea Region of northeastern Turkey, about west of the city of Trabzon.-Etymology:...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
Zhmerynka
Zhmerynka
Zhmerynka [ʒ’mærınkɑ:] is a town in the Vinnytska Oblast of central Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Zhmerynsky Raion , the town itself is also designated as a separate community within the oblast, and is located at around .The current estimated population is around 37.000...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
Lapseki
Lapseki
Lapseki is a town and district of Çanakkale Province, Turkey. As of 2010, it has a population of 10,889. The mayor is Gani Mehmet Ekim .The district of Lapseki is famous for its cherries; a cherry festival is held annually in this town.-History:...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
Notable natives
- Ayyub Abasov — Azerbaijani Soviet writer, Honored Art Worker of Azerbaijan SSR (1954).
- Bakhtiyar Vahabzadeh — poet, People's Poet of Azerbaijan.
- Elshad Yahyayev — National Hero of Azerbaijan.
- Fatali Khan KhoyskiFatali Khan KhoyskiFatali Khan Khoyski Isgender oglu was an attorney, a member of the Second State Duma of the Russian Empire, Minister of Internal Affairs, Minister of Defense and, later the first Prime Minister of the independent Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.-Early life:Khoyski was born on December 7, 1875 in...
— attorney, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918–1919). - Fuad Abdurakhmanov — sculptor-muralist, People's Artist of Azerbaijan SSR (1955).
- Jovdat HajiyevJovdat HajiyevAhmad Jovdat Ismayil oglu Hajiyev was one of the major Azerbaijani composers of the Soviet period. He is remembered for his monumental orchestral works, having been the first Azerbaijani to compose a symphony...
— composer, People's Artist of Azerbaijan SSR (1960). - Ismayil Osmanly — film and theater actor, People's Artist of USSR (1974).
- Lutfali AbdullayevLutfali AbdullayevLutfali Amir oglu Abdullayev was an Azerbaijani theatre and film actor.-Career:Lutfali Abdullayev was born into a merchant family in the city of Nukha, presently known as Shaki. He developed his interest towards acting while watching touring actors perform on the stage of local theatres...
— theatre and film actor. - Mirza Fatali AkhundovMirza Fatali AkhundovMirza Fatali Akhundov , former – Akhundzade , was a celebrated Azerbaijani author, playwright, philosopher, and founder of modern literary criticism, "who acquired fame primarily as the writer of European-inspired plays in the Azeri language"...
— writer, educator and philosopher, founder of Azerbaijani drama. - Movlazadeh Mahammad Hasan Shakavi — a noble Azerbaijani religious leader, philosopher, alim and the first Sheikh ul-Islam of the Caucasus and the first scholar who translated Koran into Azerbaijani language.
- Rahim GaziyevRahim GaziyevRahim Hasan oglu Gaziyev was Azerbaijani Defense Minister in 1992–1993, in the turmoil of the Nagorno-Karabakh War, and later a political prisoner.-Prior to the war:...
— Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan (1992–1993). - Rasim OjagovRasim OjagovRasim Ojagov was one of the most popular Azerbaijan film directors, enjoying immense popularity and broad public recognition in the Azerbaijan.-Biography:...
— film director and operator, Honored Artist of the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (1964), People's Artist of Azerbaijan SSR (1982). - Sabit Rahman — writer, playwright.
- Shakili AlasgarShakili AlasgarShakili Alasgar , born Alasgar Abdullayev was an Azerbaijani folk musician and mugham singer.-Life and career:...
— folk musician and mugham singer. - Suleiman Eldarov — Full Cavalier of the Order of Glory.
- Ziya Yusifzadeh — Chairman of the KGB of Azerbaijan SSR (1980–1988).