Çalxanqala (also, , Chalkhangala and Chalhankala) is a village and municipality in the
Kangarli District
Kangarli District () is one of the 7 districts of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan. The district borders the districts of Babek, Sharur, Nakhchivan city, as well as the Vayots Dzor Province of Armenia and the West Azerbaijan Pro ...
of
Nakhchivan,
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...
. It is located 33 km in the north-west from the district center, on the south slope of the Daralayaz ridge. Its population is busy with grain-growing, vine-growing, beekeeping and animal husbandry. There are secondary school, music school, library, club and a medical center in the village. It has a population of 2,149.
It was the last Armenian-populated town in Nakhchivan.
Etymology
The village named after the Fortress of the Çalxanqala (Chalkhangala) of Bronze Age which built up with large rocks near the village. The name of the Fortress made out from the words of ''Chalkhan'' // ''Chelkan'' (ethnicity) and gala (building) and means "The Fortress which belongs to the chelkans". It is ethno toponym. The Kəmərdağ mountain where the Fortress is located, also sometimes is called as Çalxaşala (Chalkhashala).
[''Encyclopedic dictionary of Azerbaijan toponyms''. In two volumes. Volume I. p. 304. Baku: "East-West". 2007. ]
Çalxanqala Fortress
Chalkhangala - is the fortress of the
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...
22 km in the north-west from the
Nakhchivan city
Nakhchivan ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of the eponymous Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, a true exclave of Azerbaijan, located west of Baku. The municipality of Nakhchivan consists of the city of Nakhchivan, the settlement of Əliab ...
. It is located near the
Payız
Payız (also, Paiz and Payyz) is a village and municipality in the Babek District of Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan. The village is located at the foothills, on both banks of the Jahri River. Its population is busy with grain-growing, poultry and animal h ...
village, on the right bank of the Jahrichay River, on the high hill. It was built with large rocks without using the fixing solution. There is only an access road to the fortress from the south side. The fortress of the ''Chalknagala'' of the
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...
which has survived till the present days has the wall with length of 450 m, height 2.5–3 m and width 2,7–3 meters. Presumably, the ''Chalkhangala'' was the main defense fortress of the union of the tribes which were formed in the territory of the Nakhchivan, in the 2nd millennium of BC.
Churches and Monasteries
St. Tovma Monastery was a ruinous Armenian monastery located on high ground in the northeastern part of the village.
It was completely erased at some point between 2001 and 2011.
was an Armenian church located southeast of the village.
Similar to
St. Tovma Monastery,
St. Hovhannes was erased at some point between 2001 and 2011.
was an Armenian church located in the central part of the village.
Similar to
St. Tovma Monastery and
St. Hovhannes Church,
St. Grigor was erased at some point between 2001 and 2011.
St. Hakob Chapel was located northwest of the village and was destroyed at some point between 2001 and 2011.
See also
*
St. Tovma Monastery (Chalkhangala)
*
St. Grigor Church (Chalkhangala)
*
St. Hovhannes Church (Chalkhangala)
References
*
Populated places in Kangarli District
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