On the way to Ilisu, Azerbaijan. Part 6: Gabala
Photography @ulvineman unless stated otherwise in description
Leaving our detour spots behind, we visited in Part 4 and Part 5, we’re back on the main track to the northern part of Azerbaijan. The next region on our way to Ilisu is Gabala (Qəbələ in Azerbaijani) located on the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus mountains.
Thanks to more comfortable amenities and an overall more upscale domestic travel experience, we visit Gabala more frequently these days than we did during the Soviet period.
In the town itself, as in its outskirts, there is no shortage of eye-catching natural beauty and historical sites. On the border of Georgia and Dagestan, Gabala is believed to be the most ancient city of Azerbaijan and was the capital of Caucasian Albania for 600years. Located on ‘The Silk Road’, it has a 2400-year-old history. Gabala has had a big exposure to various invasions throughout history — which has made the region even more attractive for fascinating archaeological discoveries which you can find in the city museum and open-air ruins just outside of Gabala.
To me, Gabala does not resonate with all the must-sees highlighted by the latest tour guides and such, but three particular things stuck in my mind: Gabala’s spectacular waterfall called Seven Beauties (in Azerbaijani Yeddi Gözəl), the peaceful vibes of the Nohur lake, and the Gabala radar station controlled by Russia — which in contrast to the first two sites, evokes neither appeasement nor inspiration.
The Seven Beauties waterfall owes its fairy-tale sounding name to the seven paths in the mountains which lead to the waterfall, and their meeting point. Taking any of these paths will guarantee you good exercise and a half-day, or perhaps a bit longer, of mountain hiking, depending on your fitness and your keenness to reach the top. Once there, the best reward will be drinking the traditional Azerbaijani tea, made from the spring water at the cosy looking wooden tea-house, as well as enjoying the views and refreshing splashes from the waterfall.
The other name associated with this waterfall and Gabala itself will make you smile and wonder. Vandam (Vəndam in Az), after the Gabala village adjacent to the waterfall area, is where you would also find a statue of the most beloved Belgian actor and martial artist, Jean Claude Van Damme. Little did he know that besides being admired for his martial arts skills in Azerbaijan, he would also become a relative to the whole Azerbaijani community by welcoming an Azerbaijani daughter-in-law to his family. It makes you wonder whether a funny coincidence can turn into a real prophecy. Why not…
Usually, if we make a stop around Gabala, we would not miss the chance to have a rest at the Nohur lake, charmingly set between the (three) mountains. It serves the nearby regions as a reservoir of drinking water, and hence it is prohibited to swim in it, but fishing is welcomed if that’s your thing. In one of the summers, when I had a meal on the open-air terrace next to the lakeshore, I thought how this picturesque place has even more potential when autumn is covering the mountains in vibrant colours. There is also a luxury looking hotel, Chenot, on the northern shore of the lake, which looks promising and inviting for the right pockets.
Another post-Soviet enhancement to the area was the construction of a new modern ski resort called the Tufandagh mountain resort. Since my regular visits to Azerbaijan fall in the summer, I could only take a cableway. My family and I went mountain sightseeing with no pressure to jump off with our heavy ski sets, but instead enjoyed the feeling of a slow and gentle swim in the air, whilst soaking up the beauty of the mountains.
One of the most unfortunate events that Gabala has overseen in its history is the installation of the radar station in 1985, still under the Soviets, and controlled by the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces. It was designed to detect missiles over the Middle Eastern region. There had been public claims and investigations for environmental damages because of radiation, though no official confirmation had followed. The station, as a result of lengthy post-Soviet talks between Russians and Azerbaijanis, was closed for good in 2012 — that was greeted very positively by the local Azerbaijani population.
What seemed to me as a counterweight to the radar station, Gabala has been awarded hosting an annual international music festival launched in 2009. This hugely successful festival attracts a plethora of internationally acclaimed musicians and orchestras, and, most importantly, highlights the works of the traditionally strong Azerbaijani school of classical and folk music. No better setting could be chosen for a festival of such magnitude like the open-air surrounded by Great Caucasian mountains, 500-year-old chestnut and hazelnut forests nearby, and, of course, the freshest air. The local residents have something to be proud of for sure.
