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Article

Fortifications of Ganja: A historical and architectural study

Svetlana Allahverdiyeva*

phddep@azmiu.edu.az

Abstract

The aim of the study was to analyse the historical development and architectural characteristics of the fortifications of Ganja from late antiquity to the late medieval period. Particular attention was paid to the relationship between the city’s defensive structures, its changing urban morphology, and the environmental conditions of the Ganja-Chay River valley. The research combined architectural analysis, archaeological excavation data, stratigraphic analysis, radiocarbon dating, and the study of historical written and cartographic sources in order to reconstruct the evolution of the city’s defensive system. The findings indicated that the fortifications of Ganja developed in several chronological phases and were adapted to changing military, political, hydrological, and seismic conditions. The evidence demonstrated the use of layered stone-and-brick masonry, differentiated tower types, and complex wall-building techniques that reflected both local construction traditions and broader regional fortification practices. Stratigraphic observations and radiocarbon analyses helped clarify the sequence of construction and rebuilding, while comparative analysis with fortified cities of the Caucasus and the Middle East highlighted the architectural distinctiveness of Ganja. The results further demonstrated that the city’s defensive system evolved incrementally through repeated phases of reconstruction rather than as the product of a single building campaign. Archaeological evidence confirmed that riverbank fortifications performed both military and hydrological functions, protecting the settlement from enemy attacks and erosion caused by the Ganja-Chay River. The study also differentiated between archaeologically documented remains, later reconstructions, and comparative visual sources, thereby reducing the risk of treating illustrative material as direct evidence. The practical value of the study lies in providing a scholarly basis for conservation, restoration, and historically grounded reconstruction of medieval fortification systems in Azerbaijan

Keywords

fortification architecture; defensive structures; masonry techniques; urban morphology; cultural heritage

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Received 30.12.2025, Revised 27.03.2026, Accepted 02.06.2026 Published 22.06.2026

Retrieved from Vol. 12, No. 2, 2026

Suggested citation

Allahverdiyeva, S. (2026). Fortifications of Ganja: A historical and architectural study. Architectural Studies, 12(2), 63-71. https://doi.org/10.56318/as/2.2026.05

https://doi.org/10.56318/as/2.2026.05

Pages 63-71

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ISSN 2411-801X e-ISSN 2786-7374  UDC 71;72
DOI: 10.56318/as