I was re-founded in the 1940s partly by German soldiers taken prisoner during the Great Patriotic War (WWII). It has since become significant centre of light industry, including the production of cotton and woollen textiles, knitwear, household items, souvenirs, and assorted consumer goods. The population today is almost 100.000 making Mingechaur Azerbaijan's fourth largest city.

There is some interesting architecture in the centre and the town was generously dotted with parks. The area near the Kura river is particularly pleasant, with nice restaurants and tea houses. There is some entertainment with the Davudova Mingacevir State Theatre and the Kosmos cinema.

Some of the modern monuments are quite original, don't miss the war memorial. Have a look also at the huge new mosque. The City History Museum is on V. Huseynov Street. The modest football field is home to F.C.Kur Nur.

There is a grim hotel in the city centre (the Kur), but if you are looking for a decent place try the hotel Kainat, in the western side of the town, across the river.

The Mingechaur Reservoir, with an area of 605 square kilometers that makes it the largest body of water in Azerbaijan, was formed by damming the Kura river. Operated by Azerenergy, the Mingechaur hydroelectric power station was built in 1953, providing Mingechaur not only with energy, flood control and irrigation but also with a large and pleasant artificial lake nearby which has a small beach. Production capacity is 360MWt. Apart from the River Kur, the reservoir feeds two channels of the 172-km-long Upper Qarabag Channel and the 123-km-long Upper Sirvan Channel. These channels are used to irrigate 1m hectare of area in the steppes of Mil, Mugan and Sirvan. The Varvara reservoir and the Varvara hydroelectric power station are in 20km east from the Mingechevir reservoir on the River Kur.

The waters of the Kura river also submerged several important archaeological sites, although some of the findings can now be seen in Baku. The Kura River rises in Georgia and flows southeast towards the Caspian Sea. The lower 500km are navigable and prone to flooding. There is a network of canals linking the Kura to the Araz River

(275 km west of Baku)
 
 

see also: Yevlax, Ganca, Sheki, Oguz, maps, hotels in Mingechaur, economy, summary, places, photos

A to Z of Azerbaijan / A dan Z ye Azerbaycan

www.azerb.com