Khojaly city
Khojaly region was founded within Askaran region, in 1991. Area makes 922 km². Administrative centre is Khojaly town. The area of the region is mainly mountainous. The highest peak is Gizgala and Girkhgiz (2843 m and 2827 m). Climate is mild-hot, excluding mountainous areas. Higher mountainous areas are sub alp and alp meadows. Main rivers are Badara and Gargar. The region has mountain-forest and mountain-meadow soils. Near 40% of area consists of beech, lime, birch, elm and etc trees. The region also has Zarinbagh and Agchay facing stone fields, Shusha limestone field, Khojaly clay field, Khankendi (Askaran group) mixed sand-gravel field. The agriculture mainly consists grain-growing, wine-growing, vegetable-growing and animal-breeding.Khojaly has the most ancient architectural and first cultural monuments. Architectural monuments include a sepulchre (XIV century), circular sepulchre (1356-1357), necropolis and barrow meadow belonging to the Late Bronze Age and the beginning of the Iron Age and etc. Consisting of stone box adn barrows Khojaly graveyard found in XIX century are archaeological monuments belonging to the Late Bronze Age and the beginning of the Iron Age (VIII-VII centuries B.C.). There were found different faience ware, the weapon (swords, daggers, spears, tips of arrows, axes have been found out and pole-axes), labor and a horse harness here. Besides, there are many graves in which the images of rams and saddle were painted, sacred places – holy place of Seyyid Jalal and Jahan grandmother and etc. Belonging to XVIII century, Askaran Castle is located between Khojaly town and Askaran settlement, right and left banks of Gargar River. Peace talks between Russia and Iran in 1810 was held in Askaran Castle. There are three graveyards in Karkijahan settlement. Besides, there are graves with scripts belonging to XIV century, Alban church in Kilsali place, graves, rests of Muslims graveyard belonging to the period 800 years ago, Alban holy places and etc in this region. There were sacred place “Seyyid gabri” (grave of seid) (destroyed by Armenians) in Mesheli village – Meydan summer pasture, Yeddi Kilse (seven churches) (Albanian church). Besides, there were Albanian churches in the 4 places.Khojaly region was occupied by Armenian invaders on February 26, 1992. Historical. Cultural ad religious monuments, cities and villages, economic markets and etc. of Khojaly Region were destroyed, as a result of occupation. Here there is a set of tombstones in the form of sculptures of the ridden out rams and sanctuaries – the center of Seid Dzhalala, the center of grandmother Dzhahan, etc. Between the city of Hodzhaly and settlement Askeran on both river banks Gargar the Askeransky fortress of a XVIII-th century is located. Peace talks between Russia and Iran passed in 1810 in this fortress. In settlement Kjarkidzhahan there are three cemeteries. Here there are tombs with inscriptions of XIV century, in a place named "church" - the Albanian church, tombs, the rests of a 800-year-old Muslim cemetery, the Albanian sanctuaries etc. In village Meshjali territory – on a plateau of Mejdan – were a sacred place of worship «a tomb сеида» (it is destroyed by Armenians) and «Seven churches» (the Albanian church). Besides it, the Albanian churches were in other 4 places. The Hodzhalinsky area has been occupied on February, 26th, 1992 by aggressive army of Armenia. As a result of occupation historical, cultural, religious monuments, cities and villages, the economic markets have been destroyed, etc.