Naftalan

History of the Naftalan resort

The uniqueness of Naftalan resort in Azerbaijan — is the oil sources with the composition that is not found anywhere else on the planet. Naftalan oil is used for medicinal purposes and is used in numerous health procedures offered by spa hotels.The history of Naftalan city conventionally began with a written mention found by scientists, dating back to the XII century. Earlier on this territory there was a caravan route, along which there were stops where travelers could rest, exchange news and conclude trade deals. On the place of one of such stops modern Naftalan appeared. Perhaps at that time people noticed the unique healing power of oil found in local lakes, which healed wounds, abrasions and even serious wounds. Later Naftalan settlement was mentioned in works of local poet Ganjavi and Marco Polo is said to have passed through these lands, which was reflected in diaries of the famous traveler and discoverer.

Despite the renowned medicinal properties of Naftalan springs, the oil was extracted from the wells by hand until the 19th century. And only in 1873, when the engineer Yeager came to town, the first borehole was founded. In 1890, the village already had its own small factory for refining oil and making ointments for the healing room. Since then, naftalan ointments have earned fame far beyond the country's borders and began to be used by soldiers during the World Wars. They were also included in cosmetics for women, such as lipstick, toothpaste, soap and sunscreen.

In 1926 fundamental laboratory study of properties of Naftalan minerals and oil itself finally began. After receiving the positive results and confirmation of healing properties of naftalan during next 10 years several spa hotels were opened. Due to the fact that the patients from the territory of Azerbaijan as well as from abroad came to the spa hotels, Naftalan obtained the status of the city in 1967, and in 1982 the Decision on founding "Naftalan Union of Resorts" was adopted, which finally fixed the status of the popular city for treatment of spa-health problems. By 1988, the number of patients had increased to 70,000 per year.

Now Naftalan resort offers its guests rest and treatment in modern equipped spa hotels with a wide range of medical procedures under the supervision of qualified doctors. Healing properties of naftalan oil are used in therapeutic baths, wraps, oil inhalations and ultra-phonophoresis.

Attractions of the Naftalan resort

Naftalan resort is a picturesque but small Azerbaijani town, so there are not many attractions here. We recommend that tourists who want to see the ancient architecture and important cultural sites take time to go to Ganja. Just 40-60 minutes by bus or half an hour by rented car and you will be able to see the mausoleum of Nizami Ganjavi, the ancient Juma Mosque, the mosaic-decorated facade of the Bottle House, the ensemble in the Eastern style of Sheikh Bahauddin, Ganja caravanserai, visit the picturesque lake reserve or visit a real Turkish bath, built in the XVII century.

But the Naftalan town itself can offer a good cultural program for its guests, for example, you can visit the following objects:

Local History Museum

In the local museum there is an extensive exposition devoted to the history of the origin of the resort, archaeological findings on the ancient caravan route, and there is also a collection of national costumes, jewelry, household utensils and devices for the extraction of Naftalan healing oil.

Museum of crutches

One of the most unusual museums on the planet with a symbolic exposition. The museum of crutches contains exhibits that belonged in different years to people who came to the resort for treatment. When they were cured and left the spa, the crutches could be left in the museum.

Nizami park

A beautiful and landscaped park with Mediterranean flora and an artificial lake.

The Red Bridge

The red bridge is 175 meters long and is an ancient structure made of red brick, symbolizing the border between Georgia and Azerbaijan and connecting them across the Khrami River. The bridge dates back to the XVII century and was built, by the way, on the foundations of an older bridge of the XII century. Nowadays, the Red Bridge is recognized as a national historical monument of Azerbaijan.

What to bring from Naftalan?

If your vacation is coming to an end and you have to leave the resort soon, it's time to think about buying souvenirs. Having visited Naftalan resort in Azerbaijan, you can buy souvenirs:

Traditional carpet

The weaving is one of the most significant and symbolic traditional crafts of Azerbaijan. The carpets woven by masters by hand are real works of art. They are not only decorated with intricate and exquisite patterns, protecting the hearth, but also of excellent quality and durability. Of course, it is too expensive to buy a full carpet, but small rugs, napkins, tablecloths and other household items will suit any interior and will be a great gift. By the way, if you want to buy a woven souvenir, but do not want to spend money on a rug, or it simply does not fit in the luggage, you can choose a carpet bag with ethnic motifs.

Silk scarf

Azerbaijan is famous for silk products and closet items. Here it is of the highest quality - thin, flying, bright, pleasant to the touch and at the same time very durable. In addition, in Naftalan you can find not only scarves made of silk, but also items of clothing embroidered with gold and silver threads, decorated with beads and semi-precious stones. So, as a gift you can choose a shawl, shawl, stole or kurdyu sleeveless vest. You should also pay attention to the charyks, traditional oriental shoes without backs with sharp toes. A pair of such shoes will be a perfect addition to the image and will bring a touch of the East into your closet.

Eastern sweets

Each tourist who has been to Naftalan cannot leave without tasting the traditional sweets of Azerbaijan. Such sweets can be bought at home too, but the original confectionery products made in factories in Azerbaijan have a completely different and unique taste. A set of oriental sweets will be a great gift for anyone, for example, boxes with mountain landscapes of the country or images of eastern mosques are popular.

Azerbaijani cognacs and wines

Azerbaijan is famous for its vineyards, so it is not surprising that the wines and cognacs of this country are valued all over the world. In Naftalan you can find gift sets with traditional alcohol or tinctures and liqueurs of good aging, and at more than affordable prices. Do not miss the opportunity to buy rare pomegranate wine, which is very difficult to find outside the country.

Traditional jam

The production of homemade jams and jams is widely developed in Azerbaijan. This is due to the long tradition of drinking tea with delicious fruit jam, and drinking tea in Azerbaijan is loved most of all. So it is worth bringing home a jar of fragrant jam from dogwood, quince, cherry, strawberry, pear, fig, mulberry, walnut or white cherry.

Tea set

In Naftalan you can buy a traditional and very useful souvenir for yourself and your relatives - a collection of tea from highland plantations. In general, tea from Azerbaijan, grown on the ecologically clean mountain plateaus, is very appreciated far beyond the country. Now tourists can choose from more than 250 varieties of tea with various additives (thyme, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, berries, citrus fruits) and healing properties. In sets with a herbal collection often include tea accessories, such as cups and saucers with traditional painting in bright colours. By the way, another good souvenir would be the purchase of armuds, which are traditional pear-shaped tea glasses.

Forged products

In Azerbaijan people love to create various decorations and items with their hands. In addition to wood carving, forging is very popular here. So it is worth looking at carved metal utensils, vases, door handles, souvenir weapons, jewelry or samovars.

Healing cosmetics with naftalan

In the stores of the resort you can find gift sets, consisting, for example, of bath balm, shampoo and cream with medicinal oil, extracted from the wells of Naftalan. Thanks to this you can continue the course of recovery at home and share the natural cosmetics with your friends. Moreover, naftalan has extensive pharmacological properties - it reduces muscle tone, relieves tension, improves blood circulation in vessels and blood viscosity, as well as has immunocorrective and anti-inflammatory effect.