ACityIndependent states
Ganja
Azerbaijan's second-largest city and the home of Nizami Ganjavi. In 1918 it was the first capital of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.
Ganja is an ancient city in the west of Azerbaijan, at the foot of the Lesser Caucasus. In the Middle Ages it was one of the great centres of learning and art in the East. The great poet Nizami Ganjavi and the poetess Mahsati Ganjavi lived and wrote here.
In 1918 the government of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic sat in Ganja until Baku was liberated. The city's last khan, Javad Khan, fell in 1804 while heroically defending it against Russian troops.
The Nizami Mausoleum, the Shah Abbas (Juma) Mosque, Javad Khan's tomb and the Khan's Garden are the main sights. Lake Goygol near Ganja is a favourite with visitors.
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Updated: October 1, 2026