Lahij village
Cultural
Description
Lahij village
One of the most famous villages of Azerbaijan is Lahij (Lahic). Lahic starts where the road from Ismailli fords the Kishlarcay stream in front of the Cannat Bagy Guest House.
The quaint little coppersmith village of Lahic is a superb place to sample traditional rural life. And the experience is made richer, as several Lahici youths speak English, with more returning from Baku in summer to act as guides.
Older villagers speak a dialect that is nearer to Farsi than Azeri and claim that Lahic is named for the Persian-Caspian town of Lahijun from which their ancestors supposedly emigrated a millennium ago, bringing with them their famous copper-smithing skills. In its 19th-century heyday, Lahic boasted around 200 craftsmen, and Lahic carpets and metalwork fetched high prices in the bazaars of Baghdad.
Horses are still being ridden through the streets, whilst cows meander down other thoroughfares. At times there is certainly the feeling of stepping back in time. It might be an excellent idea to take a fantastic walk and to keep the memories of this amazing place. The walk is all downhill and will offer some breathtaking views, as cliffs sprout from the valley basin, where a river snaked its way down from the mountains.
Lahic has a tourist office which organizes homestays, guides and horse rentals and sells basic maps and photo CDs. Lahic History Museum (Nizami kuc) is located in a former mosque next door to the tourist office. It displays a typical selection of traditional cooking and farming instruments, ancient weapons and pottery, plus painted portraits of local artists and writers, a disproportionate number for such a tiny place.
Of the region's very ruined fortresses, the most accessible is Niyal Qalasi, about 1,5 hours sweaty climb up the Kishchay valley. With a horse and guide you could make a two-day excursion to more impressive Fit Dag castle. The tourist office can offer many more suggestions.