Khinalig, Mountain village in Quba District, Azerbaijan
Khinalig is a mountain village located in the Quba District of Azerbaijan at an elevation of approximately 7,709 feet (2,350 meters) in the Greater Caucasus range, recognized for its traditional stone architecture adapted to steep slopes and harsh high-altitude conditions.
The settlement has been inhabited since the Early Bronze Age, with archaeological findings including ancient burial sites and artifacts, and was first documented in written records from the 13th century as a center of Islamic education.
The community speaks Khinalug, a language isolate within the Northeast Caucasian family, and maintains traditional practices including sheep breeding, woolen textile production, and seasonal transhumance along the historic Köç Yolu route spanning approximately 124 miles (200 kilometers).
The village relies on the Gudyalchay River for water through pipelines, as there are no natural springs within the settlement, and households use manure bricks for fuel during the cold winter months when temperatures drop to -4°F (-20°C).
Khinalig was designated as part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2023 for its embodiment of traditional transhumance practices and represents the highest continuously inhabited settlement in Azerbaijan and one of the highest in the Caucasus region.
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