Azernews.Az

By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijan’s beautiful Guba and the Kyrgyz town of Kant have signed a protocol of intent to become sister cities

The document was undersigned by Kant Mayor Erkin Abdrakhmanov and Guba Region Executive Authority head Yashar Mammadov, Azertac reported.

The memorandum provides for the establishment of relations in cultural, political and other spheres between the two cities. The sides also hailed friendship and cooperation between Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan.

Addressing the signing ceremony, Yashar Mammadov spoke about Guba’s rich nature and traditions of local people.

Gub, located 168 km from Baku and 600 m above sea level, has always been a favorite place of local and foreign tourists. The city enjoys favorable geographic location, mild climate, fruitful soil and natural resource.

One of Guba’s most visited natural features is its unique waterfall in Pirbanovsha, where the flowing water creates graceful natural sculptures. Guba is also known for its hydrogen sulfide sources, located near the Khashichay. Here, in the narrow gorge, hot water with healing properties flows from the rocks.

History enthusiasts will also find enticing places to visit, like settlements dating to the 12-13th centuries, a temple dating back to the 9th century and several 19th-century buildings.

Guba is also famous for its apple orchards. It's most famous kind of apple is the “White Apple” (Ag alma). One cannot satisfy his/her hunger trying this yellow, fragrant and red cheeked fruit. Azerbaijanis are so proud of this kind of apple that they wrote a song for it called “Guba’s White Apple”.

There are about 70 natural monuments here, inclduing “Gelin qayasi”, “Qizil qaya”, “Guljahan dashy”, “Khatadara”, “Jafar valley”, “Nana-Huy” valley, “Khan spring”, “Stone brides”, “Tree House”, “Ateshgah” “Khaltan water”, “Khasi hot water”, “Sona spring”, “Qırkhbulag”, “Khan plane”, “Road guard”, Pyrite depression, Oak Forest, Forests, Gyzylagaj forests are truly a natural paradise! The white-haired eagles living there were included in the Red Book of Azerbaijan.

There is a unique mountainous Khinalig village at the territory of this district. The population of the village is a separate ethnographic group with its only language.

Not far from Khinalig is located one of the fascinating villages of the Azerbaijan-Griz. The famous village Krasnaya Sloboda which is a home to one of the largest communities of Mountain Jews is also located in Guba.

Kant is the Kyrgyz town in the Chuy Valley, some 20 kilometres east of Bishkek. The Kyrgyz word for sugar is "kant". So, the city received its name when a sugar plant was built there in the 1930s.

Kant is an industrial and service center. The notable local enterprises include the Abdysh Ata Brewery, whose products are well known throughout Kyrgyzstan.

During the Soviet era, the city was home to a large number of ethnic Germans who had been forcibly relocated to Central Asia in 1941.

Several other nearby settlements, such as Luxemburg and Bergtal, still carry their German names.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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