Quba

Quba (or Guba) is a city in Northeastern Azerbaijan, on the northern slope of the Caucasus, 180 km northwest of Baku.

This ancient city is the major city in the Quba Rayon. Quba is famous for producing high quality apples. In late summer, cars stuffed with apples are often seen on the road carrying the fruit from Quba to other regions or from small towns to the city's cannery.

Quba is also the hub for many summer vacationers. It attracts visitors with its cooler summer climate and beautiful mountain scenery.

Quba is built on the western bank of the Qudailchay River. On the eastern bank is a rather exclusive Jewish community known as Red Settlement (Qırmızı Qesebe in Azeri or Krasnaya Sloboda in Russian), because of the collection of red roofs that can be seen from the nearby hilltop. The houses in Quba are noticeably smaller than the neighbouring community.

Due to its close proximity to Russia and its former inclusion in the U.S.S.R., most in the city know Russian. It is often assumed that outsiders will know this language. This might also explain a sense of paranoia with strangers found with some. You may be stopped by police and asked to show identification.

• Juma-Mosque. Built in 1802, it differs from the other mosques in Quba, it is an octagonal prism with a huge dome. The dome itself is as high as the prism. The mosque includes a huge minaret right next to it. On the other side of the central square are two typical Quba houses with huge wooden balconies.
• The Ardabil Mosque, Fatali Khan 113. This mosque, looking more like a pseudo-Russian church, was built by people from Ardebil (Iranian Azerbaijan) in the middle of the 19th century. The brick building is painted in beautiful colours. The mosque is in use with a representative office of the Muslims of the Caucasus nearby.
• Haji Jeffer Mosque, Ardabil 62 (two blocks west from the central square. The largest mosque in Quba, also made of bricks and multicoloured, was built in the early 19th century by Haji Jeffer.
• Sakina Khanum Mosque. Again multicoloured, but the form more traditional with a prism and nine domes. Built in the 1850s by Sakina-Khanum, the widow of Abbas-Kuliaga Bakikhanov, in memory of her husband. Bakikhanov had lived in Quba for a long time and was of military profession, but more known as a historian and writer. He was one of the founders of Azerbaijani literature.
• Turkish Bath House, Ardebil 43 (west of the Haji Jeffer mosque. The building, 18th or beginning of 19th century, stands out with a brick-built dome and contrasts from the rest of Quba's architecture.
• Carpet Factory. It is worth a look there. The friendly service will always open doors and show you how these "Azerbaijani" produce are created. There is also a shop for local handicrafts, especially carpets.
• Krasnaya Sloboda. Jewish quarter and richest part of the city, inhabited by Mountain Jews, the world's largest settlement of such with about 3,500 people.
• Jewish Cemeteries. There are at least three Jewish cemeteries in Quba; Cemetery 1., Cemetery 2., Cemetery 3.. All along the road to Qusar, offering a beautiful panorama of the city.

Juma-Mosque. Built in 1802, it differs from the other mosques in Quba, it is an octagonal prism with a huge dome. The dome itself is as high as the prism. The mosque includes a huge minaret right next to it. On the other side of the central square are two typical Quba houses with huge wooden balconies.

The Ardabil Mosque, Fatali Khan 113. This mosque, looking more like a pseudo-Russian church, was built by people from Ardebil (Iranian Azerbaijan) in the middle of the 19th century. The brick building is painted in beautiful colours. The mosque is in use with a representative office of the Muslims of the Caucasus nearby.

Haji Jeffer Mosque, Ardabil 62 (two blocks west from the central square. The largest mosque in Quba, also made of bricks and multicoloured, was built in the early 19th century by Haji Jeffer.

Sakina Khanum Mosque. Again multicoloured, but the form more traditional with a prism and nine domes. Built in the 1850s by Sakina-Khanum, the widow of Abbas-Kuliaga Bakikhanov, in memory of her husband. Bakikhanov had lived in Quba for a long time and was of military profession, but more known as a historian and writer. He was one of the founders of Azerbaijani literature.

Turkish Bath House, Ardebil 43 (west of the Haji Jeffer mosque. The building, 18th or beginning of 19th century, stands out with a brick-built dome and contrasts from the rest of Quba's architecture.

Carpet Factory. It is worth a look there. The friendly service will always open doors and show you how these "Azerbaijani" produce are created. There is also a shop for local handicrafts, especially carpets.

Krasnaya Sloboda. Jewish quarter and richest part of the city, inhabited by Mountain Jews, the world's largest settlement of such with about 3,500 people.

Jewish Cemeteries. There are at least three Jewish cemeteries in Quba; Cemetery 1., Cemetery 2., Cemetery 3.. All along the road to Qusar, offering a beautiful panorama of the city.

Visit Balbulaq, Tengealtı.

• Rugs/carpets
• Apples, Found in markets and bazar. Try one of Quba's more than 1000 types of apples. Quba is Azerbaijans most famous source of apples. Also many other fruits can be bought in Quba.

International Bank of Azerbaijan:

• Kuba, Quba, 41, Fatali khan street (Quba branch of İBA)
• Kuba, Quba, Qırmızı (Red) settlement (P.O.)
• Kuba, Quba, H.Aliyev avenue ("Shahdag" market centre)

Apples, Found in markets and bazar. Try one of Quba's more than 1000 types of apples. Quba is Azerbaijans most famous source of apples. Also many other fruits can be bought in Quba.

• Mahir. Order the "Sachin" for extra sauce, and watch the owner and Toffik smile at the spreading legend of their old friend and his favorite doner.
• Kafe Dalğa, +994 55 7708956. Delicious and served with a lemon, if requested.
• Ruslan Restoranı. Inexpensive restaurant located in front of the bridge on the Jewish side. Soups (lentils, rice, lagman) and skewers.
• Qəçrəş Village. Many places among trees where you can eat Shish kebab.

Mahir. Order the "Sachin" for extra sauce, and watch the owner and Toffik smile at the spreading legend of their old friend and his favorite doner.

Kafe Dalğa, +994 55 7708956. Delicious and served with a lemon, if requested.

Ruslan Restoranı. Inexpensive restaurant located in front of the bridge on the Jewish side. Soups (lentils, rice, lagman) and skewers.

Qəçrəş Village. Many places among trees where you can eat Shish kebab.

• Qusar – Just north of Quba, located in the Grand Caucasus mountainous system, close to the border with Russia.
• Khinalig (Xinaliq) – A scenic, remote and ancient mountain village, and the mountain of the same name nearby. Once a centre of Zoroastrianism; today the few inhabitants are an ethnic isolate believed to be descendants of the Caucasus Albanians (unrelated to modern-day Albanians of Albania).
• Khachmaz (Xaçmaz, Khachmas) – It is considered a very popular tourist destination for the combination of a warm summer climate, woods along the sea and clean golden beaches.