Zaqatala 

Zaqatala is a city in northwest Azerbaijan. With a municipal population of 31,300 inhabitants, it is located northwest of Sheki, by the Tala River and is the main municipality of the Zaqatala rayon. The municipality consists of the city of Zaqatala and the nearby village of Qazangül. The city is populated by a variety of ethnic groups, each speaking their own (linguistically unrelated) languages, including Azerbaijani and Tsakhur. 

History

Initially this territory of modern Zaqatala was a province of Caucasian Albania,. After that, the region was a separate kingdom within Georgian cultural and political influence. During the medieval era what later became known as Saingilo was mostly controlled by the kingdom of Georgia and Shirvan.
In the Middle Ages seven Georgian schools operated in Saingilo which included the courses of theology, philosophy, orthography, church history, and the history of Georgia and for the students. These schools played an essential cultural and educational role. They put a vital contribution in establishing cultural relations among the peoples of the Caucasus.
Zaqatala has several sites of historic significance, most of which are centered on its 19th-century town centre. The main square, formerly called Lenin Square, features a pair of 700-year-old plane trees.
The city's most prominent feature is a ruined fortress, built in the 1830s by occupying Russian forces during the Caucasian War to defend the city from rebels (See Djaro-Belokani league). In the 1850s, the town was the site of battles between Russians and Dagestani leader Imam Shamil. It was center of Zakatala okrug (district) of Tiflis Governorate between 1860 and 1917. It was part of Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic between 1917 and 1918 and Georgian Democratic Republic between 1918 and 1921 before passing to Azerbaijan in March 1922.
In the 20th century the town and its fortress became more famous when the fortress was used as one of the prisons for the mutinous crew of the battleship Potëmkin, whose actions in the failed 1905 Revolution were a precursor to the eventual 1917 revolution. The statue of one of the mutineers erected in the Soviet era still decorates Heydar Aliyev park not far from the fortress. Currently, the fortress still houses a military garrison as well as several Soviet-style apartment buildings. Near the northern part of the ramparts and off of the main square is a beautiful, but abandoned, Georgian church. The town now sports a sizable new mosque.

Parks and Monuments
Zaqatala is blessed with beautiful nature in this region. The town of Zaqatala is surrounded by mountains. There are 2 parks in the town. One of them is new. This new park is named after academic Zarifa Aliyeva. The other one is named after Haydar Aliyev. This park is not new, but it is very beautiful and large. There are many green trees in here. This is very important for us because they produce oxygen for the people of Zaqatala. It must be protected.

Heydar Eliyev Park (up past the central square. Walk up the stairs and take a right, after walking 50 meters there will be the park.). This central park is quite nice during the summer, and it has a couple tea houses and benches where you can kick back and relax. It also has a restaurant, one museum, and an amusement park. The cost of the amusement rides are 0.2 manat per ride. free. edit
Dada Gorgud Square, City Center (right in the city center). This central square dedicated to the Caucasian Mother Goose, Dada Gorgud. In the square there are 800 year old Eastern Plane Trees as well as tea houses that both males and females can frequent without trouble. The tea costs 0.6 manat for just tea, and 1 manat for tea, sweets, and lemon. edit
Ancient Chapel (behind Dada Gorgud Square). Behind the city square there is an old chapel. Despite the lack of upkeep, it is still a beautiful structure. free admission.