Qusar (also Gusar; Azerbaijani: QusarAzerbaijani pronunciation:[gu'saɾ], Lezgian: Кцlар, /kt͡sʼaɾ/) is the capital of Qusar District, Azerbaijan. Qusar is located in the foothills of the Greater Caucasus, over the Qusarchay River, 35 kilometers southwest from Khudat railway station and about 180 km from Baku.
In 1836, Mikhail Lermontov visited Qusar, where he met with scientist-philosopher Haji Ali-efendi. There he heard “Ashiq Qarib” dastan from an eminent ashiq Lazgi Ahmad; he later wrote his famous work “Ashiq Qarib” based on its motifs. A home-museum of the poet is reserved in the city with a memorial plate, inscribed with the famous lines of Lermontov:[3]
I welcome you, the hoary Caucasus!
I’m not a stranger for your mountains.
How I loved, my imposing Caucasus,
The martial dispositions of your sons.
The city is located not far from Bazarduzu, Shahdagh Mountains and a border with Russia. The mountain river Qusarchay, in honor of which the city acquired its name, flows in Qusar.[5] There is also an artificial lake, Fialka.
Qusar is located in a zone of subtropical climate and the northern part of the rayon is in zone of mild climate. But because of the heights above the sea level and proximity of the mountains winter is always cold here, and summer is not hot. Temperature of air can change more than 15 degrees during a day. For instance, in summer incessant days-long rains can begin after hot weather.
According to the 1916 publication of the Caucasian Calendar, there lived 1,203 people, primarily Russians in Qusar.[6] In 1926, there were 120 Mountain Jews, a number which had increased to 241 by 1939.[4]
According to a census of 1959, at least 7366 people[7] lived in Qusar. According to a census of 1979, population of the city consisted of 12225 people,[8] and in 1989 it reached 14230.[9]
The economy of Qusar is partially agricultural, partially tourist based, with some industries in operation. There are tinned food, milk and asphalt factories in the city.
Local history museum was established in 1980 and moved into its current building with an area of 1652 sq.m. in 1982. There are 3700 exhibits in the museum.[11]
The Qusar State Art Gallery opened in 1986 in Hil village of Qusar raion was moved to Qusar city in 1998 . 152 works of Azerbaijani artists, including 111 paintings, 34 graphic and 7 sculptural works are on display in the gallery.[12][13]
In 1998, the State Drama Theatre of Lezgins was opened in Qusar.[14]
Heydar Aliyev Center was built in Heydar Aliyev Memorial Complex in 2012 with the aim of organizing different events and involving young people in various career and personal development activities. The Center features a memorial museum, a library, a reading hall, different conference rooms, and dance, carpet-weaving training centers.[15]
In 2008, 6 secondary schools, one of which functions in Azerbaijani and 5 in Russian language, were operating in the city. There are also two state run preschools and one private preschool, Panda School, as well as Azerbaijan State Pedagogical College, which trains future teachers of Azerbaijani, English, and elementary school. As of 2016 there are three language schools in the city. The most popular one, Apex English Language School, has been operating in Qusar since 2013.
^ abРоссийская еврейская энциклопедия. Vol. 5. Российская академия естественных наук. p. 248.
^«Чай» на конце названия рек означает «река»: Кусарчай — «Кусарская река»
^Кавказский календарь на 1916 год [Caucasian calendar for 1916] (in Russian) (71st ed.). Tiflis: Tipografiya kantselyarii Ye.I.V. na Kavkaze, kazenny dom. 1916. p. 24. Archived from the original on 5 February 2022.
^Демоскоп Weekly - Электронная версия бюллетеня Население и общество. Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 г. (in Russian). Институт демографии Государственного университета - Высшей школы экономики. Archived from the original on 2012-01-18. Retrieved 2010-09-22.
^"Qusar Local History Museum". Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan - Khachmaz Regional Culture Office. Archived from the original on 2019-06-15. Retrieved 2019-06-25.
^"Qusar State Art Gallery". Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan - Khachmaz Regional Office. Archived from the original on 2019-06-15. Retrieved 2019-06-25.
^А. М. Бабаев. Славный боевой путь генерала Махмуда Абилова (к 110-летию со дня его рождения). Махачкалинские известия, №36 (838) 16 (in Russian). Web versionArchived 2014-11-29 at the Wayback Machine
^Кто руководил НКВД, 1934-1941: справочник. Zvenʹi︠a︡. 1999. p. 114. ISBN9785787000320.
Azerbaijan
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