Alindja Fortress

Alindjakala is a fortress that once stood as one of the most formidable and reliable defensive strongholds in the region. Located in Azerbaijan atop Mount Alindja, west of the village of Khanega near the city of Julfa, it commands the right bank of the Alindja River. Historical records mention the fortress as early as 821 AD, dating back to the era of Arab conquests. Numerous chroniclers have described Alindjakala as a magnificent structure—likened to a royal throne for its imposing stature and grandeur. In its heyday, Alindja was a major defensive bastion: a citadel perched high on the mountain, surrounded below by robust walls. Nearby lay fertile pastures, orchards, and vineyards, supporting the fortress’s inhabitants.

Encircled by powerful walls and fortified towers, the fortress was fully equipped to house a garrison of 600 soldiers, complete with horses, weapons, and all necessary supplies, including provisions for livestock. Along the roads leading to the fortress once stood watchtowers, sentry posts, and barricades, ensuring early warning and defense against invaders.

Over the centuries, this medieval citadel on the rocky mountain summit served as a strategic military asset for various ruling dynasties of Nakhchivan, including the Seljuks, the Atabegs, and the Safavids. Control of the fortress changed hands numerous times, with Persian forces and the Russian Empire both laying claim to it at different points in history.

Renowned for its impregnability, Alindja Fortress ultimately fell to the legendary Turco-Mongol conqueror Timur (Tamerlane) in 1401—after a grueling 14-year siege. According to local lore, Timur stored his treasures within the fortress walls, and legends persist that these riches remain hidden somewhere in the surrounding hills to this day. Visitors are encouraged to explore the museum situated at the foot of the mountain before ascending the 1,500 stone steps to the summit, where breathtaking panoramic views of Nakhchivan unfold.

The fortress features several gates, each offering stunning vistas of the landscape. Inside, a complex of defensive structures, hydraulic installations, palatial buildings, and residential quarters occupies the mountain’s peak and slopes. From the mountain’s base to its summit, multiple robust lines of stone walls snake upward in tiers. Water reservoirs—cisterns designed to collect melted snow and rain—were cleverly concealed in shaded areas. Recent archaeological research has revealed that, in addition to these cisterns, the fortress’s garrison relied on qanats (underground water channels) for their water supply during times of siege. On the slope facing the village of Khanega, beyond the fortress walls, lies the “Yukhari-Cheshme” well. During prolonged sieges—including Timur’s nighttime assaults—defenders would secretly descend to this well to replenish their drinking water reserves.

Alindja Fortress is divided into three main sections: the eastern, southwestern, and northwestern parts. Stone stairways connect the eastern section to the upper northwestern and southwestern areas. The upper part resembled a small fortified town, with numerous residential houses and public buildings constructed from sun-dried bricks. These structures were repeatedly damaged and rebuilt over the centuries.

Historically, the fortress housed the most important treasury of the Seljuk Atabegs (1136–1225). Much of the palatial architecture and auxiliary buildings date back to the reign of Shamsaddin Eldaniz (1136–1175), who played a pivotal role in the fortress’s development.

Beyond its military significance, Alindja also symbolized spiritual resistance. It served as a stronghold for the Hurufis—a mystical Sufi sect. In 1394, by the order of Timur’s son Miranshah, the founder of Hurufism, Fazlullah Naimi, was executed here. He was buried in a nearby mausoleum, which still stands close to the fortress. Additionally, Alindjakala was the residence of the renowned ruler of Nakhchivan, Zahida-Khatun.

In 1437, following internecine conflicts among the Kara Koyunlu, the fortress was almost completely destroyed. Later, it was rebuilt—either by the Ottomans during their wars with the Safavids or by the Safavids in their conflicts with the Ottomans. However, the fate of the region was ultimately decided in battles fought over other strategic peaks and cities.

Restoration efforts to return the fortress to its original appearance began in 2014. Archaeologists working on the site uncovered numerous artifacts from a distant past, including ancient houses, stables, granaries, water reservoirs, and rock-cut aqueducts. These finds are now exhibited in a museum established near Alindjakala.

At the foot of the mountain lies the village of Khanega, whose name translates roughly as “the dervishes’ hostel” or, more simply, “Muslim monastery.” The monastery itself is visible from the fortress walls. This modest tent-shaped mausoleum was built in 1495 atop an older grave. The identity of the person buried there remains uncertain, but the most plausible candidate is Fazlullah Naimi, the Hurufi sheikh executed by Timur’s son. Regardless, local residents revered the site as his tomb, referring to it not by name but by title—the Mausoleum of Sheikh Khorasan.