Lahij
Lahıc
A thousand-year-old coppersmith village deep in the high Greater Caucasus, where workshops line the stone-paved streets and artisans hammer copper by hand. It is Azerbaijan's most famous traditional craft village.
Lahij lies deep in the Gildiman River valley in Ismayilli District. Its residents speak a Tat dialect and have been known for generations for hammered copperware. The main street is packed with workshops selling copper, carpets, leather and woodwork. You can watch craftsmen hammer copper pots and trays on the spot and buy souvenirs. The village also has cobblestone old lanes, a mosque, an underground drainage system and a small history museum. It's about 1.5 hours by car from Qabala via Ismayilli. The last 20 km follow a narrow mountain road through the gorge with many bends, so watch for falling rocks after rain. The village can be explored all day. Most workshops open 09:00–18:00, so it's best to arrive in the morning and have lunch in the village.
Opening hours
Open all day (workshops approx. 09:00–18:00)
Nearby sights
- Basqal
- Shamakhy Astrophysical Observatory
- Yeddi Gumbaz Mausoleum
- Juma Mosque of Shamakhi
- Ivanovka
- Yeddi Gozel Waterfall
- Nohur Lake
- Gabaland