A Brief History of Krasnaya Sloboda in Azerbaijan
Some historians say that Jews started to reside in the Azerbaijan highlands near today's Quba district (on the left bank of the Qudyalchay River) as early as the 12th century.
But unluckily, there isn’t enough evidence to prove it.
On the flipside, it’s evident that the Mountain Jews' mass settlement in the Quba district of Azerbaijan began in the early 1730s.
It’s evident because in front of us is a Jewish village from a historical epoch, also known as Krasnaya Sloboda at present.
A place where about 3000 Azeri Jews still live.
It’s also such a place that there are only 2 other places on Earth with entirely Mountain-Jewish settlements like it.
Back to the topic, in the 1730s, Huseynali Khan, who ruled in Quba, took the Jews under his protection.
And after Huseynali Khan's death in 1758, by order of his son Fatali Khan, the Azerbaijani Jews were allowed to work in agriculture, trade, and crafts.
This was unusual at the time because Jews were discriminated against all over the world.
By the end of the 18th century, this village was home to thousands of Jews.
According to the census, there’re about 20,000 Mountain Jews here during Soviet times.
With the collapse of the Soviet Union, thousands of Mountain Jews of Azerbaijan emigrated to America and Israel.
Note: The total number of Jews in Azerbaijan was above 60,000 in the 1920s, with Ashkenazi Jews and other Jewish communities settling in cities like Baku, Ganja, Shamakhi, Oghuz, etc.
Where the Name Krasnaya Sloboda Comes From
Krasnaya Sloboda (Azeri: Qırmızı Qesebe) simply means Red Village or Red Town in Russian.
A common belief among some locals and visitors is that the village got its name because of its distinctive red-roofed houses.
But that's not true.
Forwhy “red” and not blue or something else?
The historical linguistic meaning of the color red originally meant "beautiful" in Old Russian.
However, the name "Red" began with the arrival of the "Reds," that is, the Bolsheviks, in these parts of Azerbaijan.
Cause the Bolsheviks had a special interest in the color red.
This color has symbolized revolution since the Bolsheviks replaced the Russian Empire.
Other names like Red Commissars or Red Army are some of the more popular ones in Soviets as well.
Besides that, in today’s Russia, as a matter of course, there’re still a variety of smaller villages with that name, frequently in rural or semi-rural regions.
Like Krasnaya Sloboda in the Tver Oblast, Voronezh Oblast, and other localities in regions like Moscow Oblast and Saratov Oblast.
Herewith, this place in Quba, Azerbaijan, is also known by this name, preserving its Soviet past.
Nonetheless, I’d like you to know that the original name of the village was Kulgat.
Which still bears the name of one of the quarters that make up the Red Town Azerbaijan (I'll touch on other quarters later).
It's even once (approx. late 18th c.) known among Mountain Jews as “Little Jerusalem” or “The Jerusalem of the Caucasus”.
Things to Do in Red Village Azerbaijan
First of all, to put it simply, Red Town is located between two rivers, Qudyalchay and Susaychay.
It’s only about 175 km (109 miles) north of Baku by car.
If you're making an outing to Quba and later to Qusar, this is a perfect choice because, in reality, it's not that far from Qusar either.
Via Qusar yolu (Qusar road), it'll take you only 15 minutes to get to Qusar from there.
After concise location info, back to the topic:
Consisting of 7 quarters - Kulgat, Qusar, Agajani, Garchog, Gilaki, Mizrahi and Chapkeni - at 220 hectares, Red Village, Quba may seem small, but there is actually a lot to do here.
Let’s look closer.
#1. Visiting the Synagogues in Qirmizi Qesebe
I told you not to think about how small it is; there’re 2 (maybe 3) synagogues here.
First is the Six-Dome Synagogue (Alti Gumbaz Sinaqoqu in Azeri).
It's built in 1888 and is one of the most unique buildings in the village, with its red-brick traditional style and six domes.
This building, whose architect was Gilel Ben Haim, today functions as a museum of Jewish history.
With its 14 main windows, it is a symbol of Azerbaijani Jews in the town.
It really is a building that is worthy of a visit.
The second is Synagogue Gilaki (Giləki Sinaqoqu) and is slightly less touristy than the first but will offer some information about religious practices in society.
While visiting these synagogues, you can also take a stroll through the streets of Red Village in Azerbaijan and admire how well-organized they are.
In particular, the home entrance doors, painted in distinctive colors, are similar to Jerusalem-style entrance doors.
#2. Exploring More with the Mountain Jews Museum in Red Town
The Mountain Jews Museum is another thing to do in Red Village of Quba.
It’s also the first museum dedicated to the history and culture of Mountain Jews in the world.
Leading businessmen in town, like German Zakharyaev, Zarah Iliev, and God Nisanov, decided on the building of the museum and opened it in 2020.
You can see inside the museum artifacts, photographs, and exhibits explaining the history of the Mountain Jews.
You can also learn about the traditional Juuri (which is spoken by no more than 100 thousand people on Earth) language and culture.
But the greatest exhibit in the museum is the "Chopped Book", a copy of the Torah on which the stroke of the knife of the leader of the Persians fell.
The museum's website also has a virtual tour so that you can get a clue before your visit.
Not only for the museum but also for other must-visit places in Krasnaya Sloboda, Quba, it will be useful for you.
So check it out.
Ticket prices are around 3-10 AZN.
For kids under 12, the entrance is free.
The museum's working hours are from Sunday to Thursday, between 10:00-18:00, and on Friday, from 10:00-14:00.
As Saturday is a national Mourning Day for Jews of Azerbaijan, it's a non-working day.
#3. Visiting the Old Cemetery of Jews of Azerbaijan
The 3rd must-visit place is the old Jewish cemetery on the right side of Quba-Qusar Road.
This historic Jewish cemetery is one of the oldest in the Caucasus and is located on a hill overlooking Quba Qirmizi Qesebe.
Ancient tombstones with Hebrew inscriptions, as well as the final resting places of Mountain Jewish scholars and leaders, can be visited here.
The most important of these is the tomb of the Kabbalist Rabbi Gurshum, restored in 2013.
Have a Nice Trip to Red Village in Azerbaijan
I hope this post helped you with many things, such as:
The history of Krasnaya Sloboda Azerbaijan;
How the Mountain Jews came here;
And what you can do here as a tourist.
To be honest, this place has a lot more to offer as a tourist attraction.
But I didn't want to bore you with a long article, so I tried to show you the highlights.
Finally, my advice to you, if you are going to Quba just to visit this place, is to contact (+994 55 559 95 95) the Red Village Information Center.
In this way, you can learn the current tour prices only for this place.
Or by visiting that info center you can buy special Mountain Jews souvenirs and maybe have a nice cup of coffee.
Nonetheless, it would be much better to buy a tour package for the entire Quba tour.
Or even for both, Quba and Qusar together.
Have a nice and safe trip!
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