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Coordinates: 40°59′32″N 45°37′44″E / 40.99222°N 45.62889°E
| Tovuz | |
|---|---|
  Tovuz
|
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| Coordinates: 40°59′32″N 45°37′44″E / 40.99222°N 45.62889°E | |
| Country |  Azerbaijan |
| Rayon | Tovuz |
| Population (2008)[1] | |
| - Total | 13,506 |
| Time zone | AZT (UTC+4) |
| - Summer (DST) | AZT (UTC+5) |
Tovuz (also, Tauz, Tavus, and Traubenfeld) is the capital of Tovuz (rayon) in Azerbaijan.
It was once a German settlement called Traubenfeld.
Formerly a town of German settlers called Traubenfeld, Tovuz is a recent town founded in 1912. After the Germans were expelled by Stalin the town was resettled with Caucasian population.
The town is on the main route to Georgia, with both the railway and the road passing through. The European Union has been investing in the area, improving the transportation infrastructure with the TRACECA programme. The area is rich in mining resources, including gold.
Tovuz is famous throughout Azerbaijan as the birthplace of the Ashug musician Hussein Bozalganli, whose house is now a museum
The Tovuz region where the wine and cognac plants are located has a rich history of wine-growing in Azerbaijan. Before the arrival of the Arabs in the 7th century, the Tovuz region was known as the oldest land of quality wine-growing. Many archaeological findings prove that (vessels for wine storage, stones and remains of tartaric acid found in Gyandja and Tovuz) during early stages of social development, the wine-growing was apparent in the Gyandja-Tovuz region. In addition to the manuscripts of famous travelers, historians and geographers (Homer, Heradot, Strabon, Columell, Hovgell, Masoodi, Al-Muqadasi, etc.), the 10th century Arabian geographer Al-Muqaddasi, while describing the wealth of Azerbaijan, remarked that "the region is rich and beautiful; it has many fruits and wines. Such sweet wine is not found anywhere like in Nakhichevan."
In the Epos of Dede Gorgut (10-11th centuries), which is not only a poetical but a historical monument, roughly 80 types of wines were served in the golden grails served during holiday festivities in Azerbaijan. During the 11th century, Omar Khayyam spoke about the social uses of wines in his poems, as did the great Azeri poet and thinker Nizami. In fact, Nizami lived in a city with a rich wine-aking tradition.
During the 19th century, Russia had an immense interest in Azerbaijan, its wines, figs, saffron, mulberry trees, pomegranates, etc. As during the rule of Peter I and Catherine II, the Russian territory expanded and, due to its small labor force, lands were left uncultivated. As a result, Catherine II issued a manifesto on June 22, 1763 to relocate foreign citizens to Russia. The first who responded to her appeal were Germans.
Alexander I issued a manifesto on February 20, 1804 to resettle Germans to Russia and create the necessary living conditions for them to develop the winemaking industry.
A total of 488 Swedish Germans were settled in the Transcaucasus in Nov.-Dec. 1818. The main goal of the Czar government in resettling the Germans to Azerbaijan was to develop the wine-making industry. After reset-tling the Germans in western regions of Gyandja, Khanlar, Shamkir, Tovuz, Agstafa, new vineyards were planned.
Hence, there was a great deal of winemaking taking place in the Caucasus in the Gyandja-Tovuz region from 1820-1830. The world's most famous winemaking capitalists appeared in Azerbaijan. They include Christopher Froer and Christian Gummel, who were among these German settlers. The largest plant for producing cognac was built in Traubenfield (Tovuz), which supplied the entire Russian market.
In addition to German influence in the Caucasus, Russia also played a significant role in the development of winemaking, especially in the Gyandja-Tovuz region in the 19th century. Russian influence was formative in the development and production of aromatic wines and planting new wine gardens in the Gyandja-Tovuz region (Shamkir, Khanlar, Samukh, Agstafa and Tovuz). Caucasus Governor M.S. Vorontsov, Prince K.N. Gorchakov, General A.I. Plemyannikov, famous Russian capitalist and vineyard owner N.G.Shustov and Prince Golitsin were also influential.
History proves that the Caucasus - especially Azerbaijan and its western Gyandja-Tovuz region is traditionally a wine-growing territory home to famous Russian, German and Azeri historical figures, scientists, proprietors and millionaires.
References
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This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (January 2009) |
- ^ World Gazetteer: Azerbaijan – World-Gazetteer.com
- Tovuz, Azerbaijan at GEOnet Names Server
- World Gazetteer: Azerbaijan – World-Gazetteer.com
External links
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