Beylagan (city)

Coordinates: 39°46′32″N 47°37′07″E / 39.77556°N 47.61861°E / 39.77556; 47.61861

Beyləqan
Beyləqan
City & Municipality
Beyləqan
Coordinates: 39°46′32″N 47°37′07″E / 39.77556°N 47.61861°E / 39.77556; 47.61861
Country  Azerbaijan
Rayon Beylagan
Founded 1403
Elevation 60 m (200 ft)
Population (2012)[1]
 • Total 15 599
Time zone AZT (UTC+4)
 • Summer (DST) AZT (UTC+5)
Area code(s) +994 152
Website Official website

Beylagan (Azerbaijani: Beyləqan, Бейләган/بیلقان; also Beyläqan, Bejlagan, and Beilagan) is the capital city of Beylagan rayon of Azerbaijan. During the Soviet era, it was renamed Zhdanov (Жданов, also Jdanov, Zhdanov, Ždanovsk, and Zhdanovsk) after Stalinist politician Andrei Zhdanov. This move was reverted in 1991 when the city assumed its original name again. Beylagan is one of the oldest towns in Azerbaijan. It is located in the triangle between the Kura and Aras rivers in the Mil steppe.

History


Some historians say that Beylagan is to have been founded by the Sassanid emperor Qobad and it may have been built during the time of Iranian migration and colonization of the region. In pre-Islamic times the city was known as Paytakaran. During the sixth century 'Paidangaran' (as its name is recorded in Syriac) was a diocese of the Assyrian Church of the East, two of whose bishops are known.[2] The city surrendered peacefully to the Arabs and a period of Islamisation ensued, in which the city of Paytakaran became known as Baylaqan. Muslim chronicles describe it as a flourishing city. In the 12th century, the city had to pay tribute to Georgia and was sacked in 1220 by the Mongols, who slaughtered the inhabitants and burned it down. However, survivors subsequently returned and rebuilt it.[3] At the end of the 14th century it was destroyed by Timur, who later rebuilt it, but the city was abandoned. Its ruins are now known as Ören-kala and lie near Kabirli village, a 22 km drive from the modern city of Beylagan.[4]

City administrative center of the Beylagan region.

Notes

  1. ↑ World Gazetteer: Azerbaijan Archived June 22, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. – World-Gazetteer.com
  2. ↑ Fiey, Pour un Oriens Christianus Novus, 119
  3. ↑ Encyclopedia Iranica. C. E. Bosworth. Baylaqan Archived October 4, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
  4. ↑ Great Soviet Encyclopedia. Oren-kala.

References

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Beylaqan.
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