Alinjagala unbending symbol of azerbaijan

---

18

www.irs-az.com

Architecture 

---

www.irs-az.com

19

ALINJAGALA –  

UNBENDING   SYMBOL  

OF  AZERBAIJAN

Ismayil HAJIYEV

Doctor of History, Professor, 

active member of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences

4(27), WINTER 2016

Alinjagala after restoration

---

20

www.irs-az.com

Architecture 

A

linjagala is located on the steep Mount Alinja 30 

kilometers east of the city of Nakhchivan, in the 

territory of the village of Khanagah in Julfa District, 

on the right bank of the Alinja River at a height of 1,811 

meters. Alinjagala consists mainly of three broad areas. 

There were stone steps to climb from the first area to the 

second and third areas of the castle. The entrances to the 

castle are located on the eastern and western sides.

Based on historical sources, researchers attribute the 

castle to two thousand years ago. The castle was built by 

the Alinjak tribal union more than two thousand years 

ago and was restored before the fifth century AD. (1, p. 

351) Alinjak is one of the ancient Turkic clans. The name 

Alinja was derived from the name of that tribal union. (3, 

pp. 22-23) The Alinjak tribe ensured their security here. In 

general, castle-type residential areas appeared in Nakh-

chivan in the third millennium BC, and such residential 

areas were widely used in the subsequent period. (3, p.5)

The history of Alinjagala, which has an extremely 

favorable geographic position in terms of defense, is 

closely linked to the fight of the Azerbaijani people for 

freedom and independence and against foreign invad-

ers. For this reason, Alinjagala gained great fame in his-

tory as a symbol of the resilience and fighting spirit of 

the Azerbaijani people.

Historians such as Asogik (928-1019), Nasavi (13

th

 

century), Sharafaddin Ali Yazdi (15

th

 century), Spanish 

ambassador Clavijo (15

th

 century), Turkish traveler Ev-

liya Celebi (17

th

 century) and others provided interest-

ing and important information about Alinjagala. Clavijo 

wrote the following about the castle: “Alinjagala is locat-

ed on a high and steep mountain and is surrounded by 

General plan and plan of the Alinjagala entrance gate 

(author V. Karimov)

Remains of Alinjagala walls. Photo of the 1960s

---

www.irs-az.com

21

walls and towers. Inside the walls there were vineyards, 

gardens, fields, pastures, springs and pools on the lower 

parts of mountain slopes. The castle and fort are located 

on the summit of the mountain.” (14, pp. 158-161)

The castle could accommodate up to 600 fighters 

with their horses and munitions. Stables where horse-

men kept their horses, food warehouses and tandirs 

were found here. Large public houses made it possible 

to keep food reserves. In order to meet the demand for 

water, pools and ditches were used. Small canals were 

built on the rocks in order to collect water in the pools. 

Up to 15 pools were discovered at Alinjagala. The length 

of some of the pools was 20 meters and width – about 

five meters. (3, p.8)

Alinjagala played an irreplaceable role in the history 

of medieval states in Azerbaijan, as well as in the fight 

of the Azerbaijani people for freedom. The castle was 

used to keep state treasuries, as a shelter for the ruling 

elite, a place where political prisoners were kept and as 

a defensive fortification against foreign enemies.

Medieval sources contain a lot of information about 

Alinjagala, which takes an honorable place in the history 

of Azerbaijan. Among these sources, the most ancient 

source known to science, which mentions Alinjagala, is 

the ballad “Kitabi Dada Gorgud”. Alinjagala is mentioned 

in the chapter “Uşun Qoca oğlu Sяgrяk boyunu bяyan 

edяr”. (5, pp. 110, 208)

Alinjagala has a special place in the history of Azer-

baijani statehood. Azerbaijani feudal states paid special 

attention to this castle and used it for defense purposes 

during wars. At the time of the Azerbaijan Atabay state 

(1136-1225), the political, military-strategic and econom-

ic importance of the castle increased even more, and it 

was used as an important military fortification, a place 

where the state treasury was kept, a shelter for ensur-

ing the security of the ruler’s family, a prison where im-

portant prisoners were held and for other purposes. The 

4(27), WINTER 2016

Project on reconstruction of Alinjagala walls 

(author V. Karimov)

---

22

www.irs-az.com

Architecture 

View of Alinjagala

---

www.irs-az.com

23

residency of Atabay Muhammad Jahan Pahlavan’s wife, 

the ruler of Nakhchivan, Zahida khatun, and the treasury 

of the Ildenizids were located at this castle. (7, p. 14)

Alinjagala was under the rule of the Hulaguids in 

the 13

th

 century and was taken over by the Jalairids in 

the second half of the 14

th

 century. Considering the 

strategic importance of the castle, the Jalairids always 

tried to fortify it. Ahead of Tamerlane’s invasion, Jalairid 

ruler Sultan Ahmad placed his treasury, family, son and 

close associated at the castle and instructed Amir Altun 

to defend it. (1, p. 351) The defense of the castle, which 

had up to 300 fighters, was entrusted to Malik Tahir, the 

management of the castle to Khaja Jovhar and after his 

death to Amir Altun and after Amir Altun’s assassination 

to Seyyid Ahmad Ogulsami. (7, p. 15)

Alinjagala steadily resisted attacks by Tamerlane’s 

troops for 14 years – from 1387 to 1401 and never sur-

rendered. However, disagreements that began inside 

the castle had a serious impact on its defenders and 

some of them turned their back on Malik Tahir and left 

the castle. Malik Tahir sensed his helplessness, took the 

Jalairids’ treasury in Alinjagala and moved to Baghdad. 

Thus, the castle was gradually deserted and after that, 

Tamerlane’s troops seized the abandoned castle. Tamer-

lane, who returned from his travel to India and came to 

Azerbaijan, was astonished by the fact that Alinjagala 

resisted his troops for 14 years and paid a special visit 

to the castle.

4(27), WINTER 2016

Almost all paths are blocked by walls 

---

24

www.irs-az.com

After the death of Tamerlane in 1405, the castle was 

taken over by the Jalairids and Qara Qoyunlu again. 

Qara Qoyunlu Isgandar, who was defeated in a battle 

against the armed forces of Tamerlane’s son Shahrukh 

and was betrayed by his brothers, was forced to hide at 

Alinjagala together with his family. (2, pp. 138-139) How-

ever, Isgandar was killed here and Alinjagala was taken 

over by Jahanshah. Alinjagala, which was controlled by 

Ag Qoyunlu in the second half of the 15

th

 century, was 

seized by Safavid rulers together with Nakhchivan in 

1501. One of the most valuable sources regarding the 

history of the Safavid state “Tarikh-i Alamara-yi Abbasi 

(Abbas’ history that decorates the world) indicates that 

under the Safavids, Alinjagala retained its importance 

both as a reliable shelter and as a prison. The source 

shows that after Farhad Pasha took Iravan in August 

1583 during the Safavid-Ottoman war that began in 

1578, Chukhursad baylarbay Muhammad Khan left the 

city of Iravan, came to Nakhchivan and accommodated 

the families of fighters at Alinjagala. (4, p. 570)

Although reconstruction and renovation work was 

carried out at Alinjagala under the Safavids and a num-

ber of defensive structures, including defensive for-

tifications, gates and towers were built (3, p. 730), the 

castle sustained great damage during feudal infighting 

and wars, was ruined and was used as a residential area 

during the Middle Ages. It was precisely for this reason 

that the “Detailed book of the Nakhchivan province” 

Architecture 

Walls block even the slopes 

---

www.irs-az.com

25

describes Alinjagala as a residential area – Alinjagala, 

which is subordinate to the Alinja region. (11, p. 85)

In the subsequent period, Alinjagala gradually lost 

its importance as a result of feudal infighting and wars, 

sustained serious damage and was ruined. Despite that, 

Alinjagala showed its military-strategic importance 

and defensive capability in the subsequent period and 

even in the 19

th

 century. M. Mirheydarzadeh writes in 

this regard: “…In 1242 hijrah (1826-27 – I. H.), during the 

Russo-Persian War, the commander of the castle, Lachin 

bay, fought for about six months.” (9, p. 80)

As Alinjagala was a strong and fortified defensive 

structure, it housed the mints of various Azerbaijani 

states in the Middle Ages. Coins were minted here on 

behalf of feudal rulers of Azerbaijan at various times. The 

samples of coins that have been found confirm that in 

the 7

th

 century and in the 13

th

-first half of the 14

th

 cen-

tury, Alinjagala was one of the main centers that minted 

coins. (3, pp. 50-53)

A symbol of Azerbaijan’s resilience and a source of 

pride for our people, Alinjagala was left without care 

for a long time, especially in the 20

th

 century and ex-

perienced serious erosions. However, after Azerbaijan 

regained its state independence, like other material-

cultural monuments in our country, Alinjagala was also 

surrounded with high state attention. Alinjagala was in-

cluded as a monument of global importance on the list 

of “Historical and cultural monuments of global, national 

and local importance among immovable historical and 

cultural monuments in the territory of the Nakhchivan 

Autonomous Republic” endorsed by 21 November 2007 

decision No 98 of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Nakh-

chivan Autonomous Republic.

In April 2014, restoration work began at Alinjagala. 

During the restoration work, a road was built to the 

summit of the castle – 1,301 steps were installed and 

communication was facilitated. Ancient settlements, 

farming buildings, castle walls, defensive installations, 

trenches and towers and bodies of water were studied, 

their forms were determined and restored preserving 

their historical appearance. The eastern and western 

walls of the castle, which reflects the traces of the Na-

khchivan architecture school in terms of construction 

techniques and planning, were also restored to their 

previous appearance. Also, the Alinjagala Historical-

Cultural Museum was created on the western slope of 

Mount Alinja and on the edge of the road leading to 

the castle.

4(27), WINTER 2016

Internal structures of Alinjagala 

---

26

www.irs-az.com

Restoration work at Alinjagala was completed and 

an opening ceremony was held on 17 June 2016. Along 

with that, Alinjagala, which played a great role in the 

political and military history of the Azerbaijani people, 

became an attraction for the population of Nakhchivan 

and visitors to the autonomous republic.

Thus, Alinjagala, which is closely linked to the fight of 

the Azerbaijani people for freedom and independence 

and against foreign invaders and turned into a symbol 

of Azerbaijan’s resilience, was given a new lease of life, 

and this great monument created by our people was 

returned to us. 

References: 

1.  Azərbaycan tarixi. Ən qədim zamanlardan XX əs-

rədək. I cild. Akad. Z.Bünyadov və prof. Y.Yusifo-

vun redaktəsi ilə. Bakı: Azərnəşr, 1994, 680 s.

2.  Əbubəkr Tehrani. Kitabi Diyarbəkiriyyə. Fars dilin-

dən tərcümə edən və ön sözün müəllifi Rahilə Şü-

kürova. Bakı, Elm, 1998, 336 s.

3.  Əlincəqala. Məqalələr toplusu (Azərbaycan, rus və 

ingilis dillərinə). Naxçıvan: Əcəmi, 2016, 304 s.

4.  İsgəndər bəy Munşi. Tarix-i aləməra-yi Abbasi (Ab-

basın  dünyanı  bəzəyən  tarixi).  I  cild.  Farscadan 

tərcümənin,  ön  sözün,  şərhlərin  və  göstəricilərin 

müəllifləri  Oktay  Əfəndiyev,  Namiq  Musalı.  Bakı: 

Təhsil, 2009, 792 s.

5.  Kitabi  Dədə-Qorqud.  Tərtib  edənlər:  F.Zeynalov, 

S.Əlizadə. Bakı, 1988, 265 s.

6.  Köprülü Fuad M. Alancaq. İslam ensiklopediyası. 

C 4, s. 302-304.

7.  Məmmədov  R.  Əlincəqalanın  orta  əsrlər  tarixi 

haqqında.  “Azərbaycan  tarixinə  dair  materiallar”. 

Bakı, 1973, s. 8-16.

8.  Məmmədov  R.  Naxçıvan  şəhərinin  tarixi  oçerki. 

Bakı, 1977, 158 s. 

9.  Mirheydərzadə  M.  Əbrəqunus  dairəsi,  məşhur 

Əlincə çayı sahilində bir neçə kəndin və Əlincə qa-

lasının tədqiqi. “Azərbaycanı öyrənmə yolu”. Bakı, 

1930, № 4-5, s.78-80.

10.  Naxçıvan abidələri ensiklopediyası. İstanbul, 2008, 

519 s.

11.  Naxçıvan sancağının müfəssəl dəftəri. Araşdırma, 

qeyd və şərhlərin müəllifi H.Məmmədov. Bakı, Elm, 

2001, 374 s.

12.  Quliyev Ə. Naxçıvan kəhrizləri. Bakı: Nurlan, 2008, 

164 s.

13.  Рюи Гонзалес де Клавихо. Дневник путешествия 

ко двору Тимура в Самарканд в. 1405-1406 гг. 

Сборник «ОРЯС», СПб, 1881, с. 158-161.

14.  Казвини  Хамдаллах.  «Нузхат  ал-Кулиб».  Пер. 

с  английского  З.М.Буниятова,  пер.  с  перс. 

И.П.Петрушевского. Баку, 1983, с.37-65.

Architecture 

The top commands a view of all the surroundings 

---

www.irs-az.com

27

4(27), WINTER 2016

The view of the fortress at night is fascinating