Bash Kaldak village

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It is a village located within the administrative territorial unit of Bash Kaldak village in the Shaki District of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Bash Kaldak is one of the oldest villages situated in the Shaki region. There are four cemeteries within the village area. The village is located on the bank of the Kyungyut River. Its former name was Kaldak. 

The village is composed of two administrative units: Bash Kaldak and Ashaghi Kaldak. The word “Bash” (meaning "upper") in the name refers to the village’s location at the foothills of the Greater Caucasus mountain range, while “Ashaghi” (meaning "lower") refers to its location in the lowland-wintering area of Shaki District. Ashaghi Kaldak is located 10 kilometers south of the Ismayilli-Qaramaryam-Shaki highway. Another fact proving the antiquity of Ashaghi Kaldak is the character “Molla Ibrahim Khalil the Alchemist” mentioned in the comedy of M. F. Akhundov, who in reality was a resident of this village.

Historical sources also mention the name in the form "Bash Kaldak." In Azerbaijani toponymy, kaldak is explained as “rocky area,” and geldak as “fertile land,” or “land left to rest.” The oikonym means "Upper Kaldak village." Bash Kaldak is located approximately 32 km east of Shaki. The village is surrounded on all sides by mountain ranges and shares a northern border with Dagestan. Bash Kaldak also borders the villages of Oraban, Bideyiz, and Bash Kyungyut. 

The Kyungyut River flows along the border with Bash Kyungyut, and during heavy rains, it used to cause damage to the village. To prevent this, in 2012, dams with a total length of 900 meters were built at the edge of the village. 

Within the territory of Bash Kaldak lies the Gavur Qala monument, considered part of the Albanian heritage from the Sasanian period. This temple is dated to the 6th century. The Gavur Qala, located in the village of Bash Kaldak in Shaki District and registered under inventory number 326, is an architectural monument of national significance. Currently, a suspended bridge from the territory of the Shaki Plateau Recreation Center leads to the foot of the elevation where the monument is located. The monument is associated with the history of Christianity in Azerbaijan. Although it belongs to the Sasanian period, among the local population it is more commonly known as the Fortress of Hazrat Ali. This is because the monument is situated at a high elevation. The monument is included in the list of Albanian heritage monuments of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Below the monument, there is a large water reservoir that once supplied water to the fortress.

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