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General information |
Astara district - an administrative unit in the south-east of Azerbaijan on the border with Iran. The administrative center - Astara city.
The district's area: 616 square kilometers.
The population in the area: more than 90 thousand people (Azerbaijanis and Talysh).
This is one of the most beautiful regions of the republic. Part of the territory is occupied by Talish Mountains, part - plains. Astarachay and Tengerud rivers originate in the mountains and flow into the Caspian Sea. Forests cover 37,000 hectares.
Talish Mountains are covered with dense forest, most of which constitute relict trees: oak, demiragaj (ironwood). Solid wood ironwood used for the manufacture of looms, shuttle, parts for the textile industry.
There are common wild quince, medlar, hawthorns, blackberry, silky acacia with pink flowers, evergreen butcher, from the family of lianas. Fauna of Talish forests is rich and diverse. They live wolves, lynx, deer, porcupines and other animals. The area on the beach there are many beautiful sandy beaches and the sea water is clean and clear.
The road from Lenkarana to Astara is extremely picturesque: woody mountains and subtropics. To the left on a narrow coastal strip located Hirkan Reserve where relic trees are protected: ironwood, zelkova and others. The area is considered one of the main tea-growing, citrus, vegetable growing areas. Near the village there is a source of sulfurous Archivan medicinal water, called popularly as Asadullah-Bulagy. Here you can observe an interesting phenomenon: the presentation to fire flares lit match "Fountain."
In Astara region, just on the other side of the border, is home to many Talysh - representatives of the people belonging to the Iranian language group. The district discovered ancient burial - mounds. Founded in these items - tools and hunting - indicate that in these places the population was engaged in "Metallurg" in the Bronze and Iron periods.
The district has preserved more than 400 historical monuments, most of them in mountain villages. From them can be called a tower in the village of Shindan, popularly known as the Tower of Babek tower in Nidus village, Mausoleum of XII century Shakhagay village, mosque of Haji Teymur and Gadzhi Jahan Bakhishov, sauna Mashadi Abutalib in the village of Pensar, bath Kerbelai Hamid Abdulla in the village Archivan . The village Gapachy Mahalla has caravanserai VII century , necropolis of III - I centuries, the ruins of an ancient fortress, mausoleum, statues belonging to the Bronze and Stone Ages.
City Astara - small picturesque port city. Astara is near by mountains and surrounded by rice fields. Astara - an important transit point on the route Baku - Tehran.
The city has a museum, which collects numerous finds have been found in the district: coins, stone tools. Particularly interesting is a stone statue of a man, whose age is more than 2000 years.
Astara region (25 excursion objects) |
1. A short sightseeing tour (1 hour) throughout Astara city and vicinities.
2. Historical local lore museum in Astara city.
3. Architectural monuments in Astara city:
- A mosque (ХIХ century);
- Russian church (1880).
4. A water reservuare “Leveyin” at Kijaba settlement.
5. Ethnographic excursions in the areas of talysh regions.
6. A thermal mineral source (national baths) “Istisu” in gorge of Istisuchay river behind Zunvulyash settlement.
7. Tea plantations in area of Archivan and Kijaba settlements.
8. Ancient bridge “Vilopart” (XIII century) in Lomin settlement.
9. The ancient bridge “Ag Kerpu” (XIII century) in Sypiyapart settlement.
10. The rests of a medieval fortress “Shindan Gala” at the peak of Shandangalasy mountain (1816 m.).
11. Architectural and archeological objects in Archivan settlement:
- The equipped spring-pavilion “Yanar Su” with mineral water and combustible gas;
- A mosque (ХIХ century);
- The rests of a minaret of an ancient mosque (XIII century);
- The rests of a tomb-mausoleum (XIII century);
- A bath “Kerbelai Khemid Abdulla hamamy” (1806);
- Places of archeological excavations on the rests of medieval settlement and fortress.
12. Architectural monuments in Peyser settlement:
- “Khajy Jakhanbakhysh” mosque (ХIХ century);
- “Hajy Teymur” mosque (ХIХ century);
- “Meshedi Abu-Talyb hamamy” bath (ХIХ century).
13. Architectural monuments in Shahagaj settlement:
- A mosque (ХIХ century);
- An ancient mosque (XII century);
- A bath (1910).
14. Excursion in a fishing facilities in Shahagaj settlement.
15. A watermill (ХIХ century) and ancient bridge “Piyajanaparan” (XIII century) in Pileken settlement.
16. Ruins of “Kolakafo” fortress and a place of an ancient settlement (IX-XVII centuries) in Hamosham settlement.
17. Places of archeological excavations on an ancient settlement “Gyrkh turbe” (X-XII centuries) in Siyaku settlement.
18. Ancient settlement (VIII-IX, XIII-XV centuries) not far from Gapychy mehelle settlement.
19. Mosques in other areas of the settlement:
- Mesjidmehle (1903) - Artupa (1903) - Kakalos (1907)
- Shiyakeren (1900) - Vago (1905) - Siyaku (1905)
- A mosque of 1905 and the ancient mausoleum “Akhmed ibn Kerim” (1472) in Mashhan settlement.
20. A medieval cemetery “Khamiyyekhidede” in Dolu settlement.
21. Places of archeological researches on a medieval cemetery “Pirebulgasym” in Serag settlement.
22. Archeological objects in Sym settlement:
- A place of an ancient settlement “Utey” (XIV-XV centuries);
- A place of an ancient settlement “Chayu” (XIV-XV centuries);
- Stones with patrimonial/breeding signs-“tamga” “Damgaly dashlar” (the medieval period).
23. Necropolis – “dolmen” “Miki” (II – beginning of I millenia B.C) in Miki settlement.
24. A necropolis with tombs-stone boxes “Kholobin” (V-I centuries B.C.) in area of Ryvadyla settlement.
25. Places with archeological excavations on a necropolis with tombs-stone boxes “Kurdoba” (Iron Age) in Kyurdoba settlement.