Balakhani: A new life for the Azerbaijani historical settlement

Balakhani settlement photos

Balakhany is a village located nine kilometers from Baku. Ten years ago, it was known primarily for its enormous garbage dump, which emitted a hellish stench. Occasionally, the trash was burned, and the fire only intensified the association with hell. Now, that scene is nowhere to be found.

In place of the dump, there is now a modern waste processing plant, and the village itself is clean and orderly. This transformation is the result of a renovation in 2019, during which several villages near Baku were reconstructed. Many of them had sewer systems installed for the first time and had their electrical cables upgraded.

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In Balakhani, everything is arranged and decorated for tourists, who are guided through the sights of one of the first settlements in Azerbaijan where oil was discovered. The first oil well in the village dates back to 1594.

The first oil rigs here were drilled at the end of the 19th century. Oil rigs still stand on the approaches to the village. As I walk past them, having missed the bus, I look at the deserted landscape and the workers who are having lunch, sitting directly on the ground with their food spread out on cardboard “tablecloths.”

The residential areas begin, but they are still deserted. Life is concentrated in the center of the village, where the reconstruction took place.

Tarlan the Barber

Tarlan has been working as a barber near his home in Balakhani for nearly 30 years. He inherited this profession from his father and has taught his own son, and now they work together.

Tarlan says that a good craftsman doesn’t need advertising in a village. That’s why he hasn’t put up any special sign above his barbershop. On the door, it simply reads “Tarlan Berber” (Tarlan the Barber). By now, Master Tarlan has trained 14 apprentices in his small barbershop.

“Our roads were in poor condition, and there was a strong smell of burning garbage. Water was often cut off. After the renovation, things changed here; there are more tourists and visitors. Do you see those red brick houses?” — he gestures towards the horizon. — “Look, the settlement starts from there. The history of Baku is in these buildings. But due to poor infrastructure, no one used to come here. Interest in this place surged sharply in the first year after the renovation. It has quieted down a bit now, but it’s still better than before.”

Meshadi Ibad and the first statue of a human in the Muslim East

I say goodbye to the barber, leave the barbershop, and head to the village cemetery.

Historical monuments line this street. Ancient bathhouses, mosques, and tombs, as well as the former mansions of Balakhany millionaires with frescoed walls.

Here is a monument to the satirical poet Mirza Alakbar Sabir in front of the school where he taught. This statue was created by sculptor Yakov Keilikhis in 1922.

The statue of the poet is considered the first monument to a human in the Muslim East and was originally installed in the Ismailiyya Garden (now Sabir Garden) in central Baku. However, over time, opinions emerged that the statue did not conform to “national traditions” and its characteristics were “far from national.” As a result, in 1958, the monument was removed and replaced with a statue of Sabir by sculptor Jalal Garayev. The statue created by Keilikhis was moved to Balakhany.

Across the alley from Sabir’s statue, you can find Meshadi Ibad, a character from the famous film “O olmasın, bu olsun” (“Not This One, Then That One”). He climbed onto the back of a servant to spy on his fiancée, Gulnaz, in the courtyard of her home.

Although many people assume that the film was shot in this very courtyard, this is not the case. The house once belonged to the wife of actor Ahmad Rumlu (Ruminsky), who played the role of the servant in the film. The monument was erected here to commemorate the actor.

The Sand Hamam

Near the cemetery is the “Balakhany Infotour” center. For five manats (about $3), you can take advantage of a guided tour.

Another option is to ask the locals about the history of the village.

“Back in the day, wealthy people built bathhouses and mosques. The ‘Sand Hamam’ is one of them. They say it was built by a rich man who lived in the 14th-15th centuries because he wanted people to pray for the repose of his soul when he died,” an old man tells two young people who listen with interest.

Uncle Hasanbala, who usually sits on a bench next to the tourist center, is a retiree; he spends his day playing backgammon with his friends. He says he sometimes helps people who are unfamiliar with the village and directs them to places worth visiting. He considers it unfair to charge for this service.

I leave the village by bus. After the clean and lively streets, the surrounding landscape seems particularly dull.

Balakhani settlement photos