Zaqatala (city)

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Zaqatala
City & Municipality
Zaqatala is located in Azerbaijan
Zaqatala
Zaqatala
Location of Zaqatala
Coordinates: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Country  Azerbaijan
Rayon Zaqatala
Elevation[1] 518 m (1,702 ft)
Population (2010)[2]
 • Total 31,300
Time zone AZT (UTC+4)
 • Summer (DST) AZT (UTC+5)

Zaqatala (Azerbaijani: Zaqatala; Georgian: ზაქათალა; also, Sakataly, Zakatalsk, and Zakataly) is a city in northwest Azerbaijan. With a municipal population of 31,300 inhabitants, it is located northwest of Sheki, by the Tala River and is the main municipality of the Zaqatala rayon. The municipality consists of the city of Zaqatala and the nearby village of Qazangül.[3] The city is populated by variety of ethnic groups, each speaking their own language that is not linguistically related to others in the region.

File:Zaqatala-PlaneTree.jpg
A plane tree in one of Zaqatala's public parks.

History

Initially this territory of modern Zaqatala was a province of Caucasian Albania,. After that, the region was a separate kingdom within Georgian cultural and political influence. During the medieval era what later became known as Saingilo was mostly controlled by the kingdom of Georgia and Shirvan.

In the Middle Ages seven Georgian schools operated in Saingilo which included the courses of theology, philosophy, orthography, church history, and the history of Georgia and for the students. These schools played an essential cultural and educational role. They put a vital contribution in establishing cultural relations among the peoples of the Caucasus.

Zaqatala has several sites of historic significance, most of which are centered on its 19th-century town centre. The main square, formerly called Lenin Square, features a pair of 700-year-old plane trees.

The city's most prominent feature is a ruined fortress, built in the 1830s by occupying Russian forces during the Caucasian War to defend the city from rebels (See Djaro-Belokani league). In the 1850s, the town was the site of battles between Russians and Dagestani leader Imam Shamil.[4] It was center of Zakatala okrug (district) of Tiflis Governorate between 1860 and 1917. It was part of Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic between 1917 and 1918 and Georgian Democratic Republic between 1918 and 1921 before passing to Azerbaijan in March 1922.

In the 20th century the town and its fortress became more famous when the fortress was used as one of the prisons for the mutinous crew of the battleship Potëmkin, whose actions in the failed 1905 Revolution were a precursor to the eventual 1917 revolution. The statue of one of the mutineers erected in the Soviet era still decorates Heydar Aliyev park not far from the fortress.[5] Currently, the fortress still houses a military garrison as well as several Soviet-style apartment buildings. Near the northern part of the ramparts and off of the main square is a beautiful, but abandoned, Georgian church.[6] The town now sports a sizable new mosque.[7]

File:Zagatala fortress.jpg
Zagatala fortress

The town

It is served by the A315 road coming from Mingachevir and leading to the Georgian border at Lagodekhi as well as by a small airfield. North of the town there is an important wildlife and nature preserve. The Caucasus Mountains provide it with natural protection from the north winds. The wooded mountainsides, with frequent waterfalls offer great hiking opportunities. Due to its climate the town became a mountain health resort.[citation needed]

There are several hotels in both Zaqatala and surrounding villages including Ashaghi Tala and Jar (also spelled Car/Djari), both about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) from Zaqatala.

File:Zaqatala-GeorgianChurch.jpg
The abandoned Georgian[citation needed] church in Zaqatala.

Demographics

Azerbaijanis, Avars, Lezgins, Tsakhurs and Georgians known as Ingiloy inhabit Zaqatala and the surrounding rayon. In addition to the Azeri population, which is the majority here and in most of the rest of Azerbaijan, communities of Dagestani peoples, including the Avars, Tsakhurs, and Lezgins, live in the area.[8]

Transportation

Air

Zaqatala International Airport is the only airport in the city.[9][10] The airport is connected by bus to the city center. There are domestic flights to Baku and international service to Russia and Turkey.[citation needed]

Climate

Climate data for Zakataly
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 5.3
(41.5)		 6.3
(43.3)		 11.2
(52.2)		 18.8
(65.8)		 22.2
(72)		 26.8
(80.2)		 30.5
(86.9)		 29.3
(84.7)		 25.7
(78.3)		 18.8
(65.8)		 12.5
(54.5)		 7.9
(46.2)		 17.9
(64.2)
Daily mean °C (°F) 1.1
(34)		 2.3
(36.1)		 5.8
(42.4)		 12.7
(54.9)		 17.0
(62.6)		 20.9
(69.6)		 24.6
(76.3)		 23.7
(74.7)		 19.8
(67.6)		 13.5
(56.3)		 7.9
(46.2)		 3.2
(37.8)		 12.7
(54.9)
Average low °C (°F) −1.9
(28.6)		 −1.1
(30)		 2.7
(36.9)		 8.0
(46.4)		 12.0
(53.6)		 16.1
(61)		 19.4
(66.9)		 18.6
(65.5)		 15.0
(59)		 9.4
(48.9)		 4.6
(40.3)		 0.4
(32.7)		 8.6
(47.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 35
(1.38)		 52
(2.05)		 67
(2.64)		 78
(3.07)		 115
(4.53)		 129
(5.08)		 64
(2.52)		 75
(2.95)		 65
(2.56)		 106
(4.17)		 72
(2.83)		 33
(1.3)		 891
(35.08)
Average precipitation days 7 8 11 12 13 10 7 7 7 9 8 7 106
Mean monthly sunshine hours 114.3 103.8 130.0 176.7 215.6 261.0 274.8 255.3 220.2 157.8 130.5 110.2 2,150.2
Source: NOAA[11]

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ The State Statistical Committee of the Azerbaijan Republic
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[dead link]
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Template:Cite web. Majority of population are Sunni Muslims, with minority Orthodox Christians.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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