Nestled high in the Caucasus Mountains, 2,300 meters above sea level, lies Khinalug—a village suspended in time. Located in Azerbaijan’s Guba district, this ancient settlement offers a breathtaking journey through winding mountain roads. As you ascend, the panoramic views grow ever more stunning, revealing a place where nature and history intertwine seamlessly.
Khinalug is no ordinary village. It is home to a people who trace their lineage directly to the ancient kingdom of Caucasian Albania, which ceased to exist in the 5th century. The residents of Khinalug speak a unique and isolated language that belongs to no known linguistic family. With 77 distinctive sounds, their language is unlike any other in the world. Only about 2,500 people speak it, all of whom reside in this remote village. While children learn Azerbaijani in school, the native Khinalug language remains the primary means of communication among locals.
Life in Khinalug is simple and authentic. There are no hotels or restaurants; visitors rely on the hospitality of local families for food and shelter. This close-knit community opens its doors to travelers, offering a rare glimpse into an ancient way of life.
The road to Khinalug itself is a wonder. With every turn, the landscape transforms into a breathtaking canvas of rugged peaks and deep valleys. The village’s name derives from the Azerbaijani word “khna,” meaning henna, a nod to the reddish hues of the surrounding mountains. As you approach the village, the sight is mesmerizing—Khinalug appears like an open-air museum, where time seems to stand still.
With a history spanning over 6,000 years, Khinalug is one of the oldest continuously inhabited villages in the world. The village is home to approximately 2,000 people and around 360 stone houses, each between 200 and 300 years old. Built on steep slopes, the houses are tightly packed together in a cascading design. The roof of one house often serves as the courtyard for the dwelling above it—a practical adaptation to the mountainous terrain.
Historically, this architectural style served a defensive purpose. The dense arrangement of homes allowed villagers to quickly warn one another of approaching enemies. Constructed from local river stones and clay, these homes reflect centuries of resilience. Among them, 160 structures are officially recognized as historical monuments, preserving the village’s architectural heritage.
Khinalug houses are built almost entirely of cobblestones, with wooden beams supporting the roof. Each home features a unique skylight, often covered with glass or plastic, which allows natural light to filter in. Traditionally, the lower level of these homes served as stables for livestock, while the upper levels were living quarters.
A distinctive feature of Khinalug is the use of sun-dried bricks made from a mixture of straw and animal dung. This resourceful building material, known as “saman,” provides both insulation and fuel for heating. Throughout the village, these bricks are stacked in piles, forming small, earthy towers that contribute to the village’s unique aroma.
The residents of Khinalug have managed to preserve their unique language to this day. The ancient Greek scholar Strabo, in his work “Geography,” noted that 26 tribes inhabited Caucasian Albania, each with its own distinct language. The people of Khinalug are among these tribes. The language they speak is unlike any other and has no parallels in the world. Despite the small size of the tribe—approximately 2,000 individuals—the Khinalug people boast their own literature and poetry. Historically, their alphabet consisted of 72 letters.
In certain aspects, the Khinalug language shares similarities with that of their Shahdag neighbors. For instance, the languages of the mountain dwellers here have four grammatical genders: masculine, feminine, animate, and inanimate. At first glance, the Khinalug language may seem quite complex, featuring 19 cases and 49 letters, which must be combined to convey 77 distinct sounds.
“Khinalug is one village, one language, and one nation. Unfortunately, the ancient alphabet of the village has not survived. Five years ago, we were visited by Academician Pavlovsky, a linguist from Frankfurt University. He suggested that we simplify the alphabet since the language itself is very complex. Thanks to him, we created a new alphabet consisting of 48 letters, including 9 vowels and the rest consonants. Textbooks have already been printed using the new alphabet,” shared Aghaev, a local resident.
In Khinalug, children begin to learn the Azerbaijani language only in school. Instruction is primarily conducted in their native Khinalug language. In addition to this, children also study English.
Khinalug is a small village that can be traversed on foot in just about 15 minutes. Despite its modest size, it is divided into seven distinct neighborhoods: Kholmovoy, Verkhniy, Elgovan, Malikly, Nizhniy, Gadakhsky, and Vpadinny. Additionally, the Deirmanchay residential area was added during the Soviet era. Although the boundaries of these neighborhoods may not be immediately apparent, local folklore suggests that residents even exhibit slight variations in their dialects.
Before the revolution, there were nine mosques in the village, and today, seven remain, each corresponding to one of the neighborhoods and marked by its own sacred site, typically featuring a miraculous grave and a mosque.
Among the most prominent of these neighborhood shrines is Pir-Jomard, commonly referred to as Zulmatkhana. The former name carries a significant weight, as Gayomard is considered the first human in Zoroastrian tradition, suggesting that a Zoroastrian temple may have once stood at the site of this mausoleum. Notably, the building is devoid of windows—according to local beliefs, sunlight should not fall upon the grave of Gayomard.
The areas surrounding Khinalug are regarded as sacred lands, rich with ancient shrines, tombs, caves, and unexplored archaeological sites that date back to the pre-Islamic era. Among these historical treasures is the Temple of Fire Worshippers. The residents of Khinalug are deeply religious, practicing Islam, yet their reverence for fire remains a significant part of their cultural identity, a remnant of their ancestral beliefs.
In Khinalug, six mosques stand as pillars of the community, with the oldest being Abu Muslim Mosque, which dates back to the 9th century. Perched at the highest point of the village, this mosque was named after the great Arab commander Abu Muslim, who played a pivotal role in the spread of Islam in this region. Recently, the mosque underwent restoration.
In the heart of the village, amidst the stone houses, stands the village museum, which was established in 2001 through the personal contributions of the villagers. They have also donated rare artifacts to the museum, including clay pottery, paintings, pots from various eras, rusty irons, antique rifles, stone books, carpets, and kilims. One such item on display is a pair of shoes that dates back to the 10th century. However, the age and purpose of some exhibits remain a mystery to scholars.
Among the most intriguing items in the museum are rare handwritten books that have survived since the 15th century and later. These documents attest to the village’s rich historical ties to science and learning. Most of the artifacts were collected by local residents, featuring ancient spinning wheels, manuscripts, tools, and various household items used by people in the 12th to 14th centuries. Visitors to the museum can gain insights into the daily lives and activities of ancient inhabitants.
Additionally, the museum houses a significant collection of manuscripts from the ancient Ottoman Empire, including accounts of how Ottoman travelers once visited Khinalug. It attracts numerous tourists who are curious about the architecture, construction methods, and history of the region.
One of the most unusual attractions in the area is the Khinalug Atashgah, or the Fire Temple. Natural flames, known as atashgahs, have earned Azerbaijan the title of the Land of Fire. Although Caucasian Albania was never a Zoroastrian country, it balanced between paganism and Armenian Christianity before ultimately embracing Islam. However, the influence of Zoroastrianism was notably strong in the region under Shahdag during pre-Islamic times. It is believed that pilgrims brought the teachings of Zoroaster to this area around the 5th century, during the reign of Shah Khosrow I Anushirvan, who fortified the mountains along the borders of Turan.
Local lore suggests that the Persians learned from the mountain dwellers about an eternal flame that bursts forth from the earth high above Shahdag. Natural flames are rare due to the sedimentary nature of oil and gas, making the highest atashgah near Khinalug, located nearly 3 kilometers above sea level, a remarkable phenomenon. In 2016, the atashgah was enhanced with the construction of a new chakhartak, or ceremonial structure, above it.
Beneath the village, an ancient cemetery sprawls across the slope, crowned by the mausoleum of Jabbar Baba, a local ascetic imam who arrived from Turkey in the 18th century and was said to possess the ability to read minds within a certain radius. The cemetery features archaic graves resembling fragments, with simple slabs and steles devoid of inscriptions. While most of these graves date back no further than the 18th century, the practice of burying the dead in this manner has persisted for over a thousand years.
From the village, tourists can embark on several hiking trails. One popular route leads from Khinalug to the village of Kaley-Khudat, covering a distance of 16 kilometers, which takes approximately 7-8 hours for a round trip. For those seeking a more challenging trek, the journey to the village of Jack is slightly longer. Another option is to hike to the village of Laza, although this excursion requires a full day and is best undertaken with a guide.
Traveling to Khinalug during the winter months is not advisable due to heavy snowfall that can block access. The ideal time to visit is from March to November. Spring can be quite humid and foggy, but this weather adds a unique charm to the landscape. Located high in the mountains, Khinalug offers pleasant conditions during the summer, especially for those planning to explore its hiking trails. July and August are the hottest months, yet temperatures can drop significantly at night, even in summer, so packing warm clothing is essential.
Visitors can explore Khinalug as part of a day tour that includes a guide and lunch in one of the local homes. Typically, several hours are spent in the village, with stops along the way in Guba and at natural attractions to break up the journey. Travelers can reach Khinalug from Guba by taxi from the city bus station, conveniently located near where minibuses from Baku arrive.
Khinalug, with its rich history, stunning landscapes, and unique cultural heritage, offers an unforgettable experience for those willing to explore its sacred lands.
