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Nij — Village of the Udi, Heirs of Caucasian Albania

Nij is home to the Udi, one of the Caucasus's oldest peoples. Ancient Albanian churches and Gabala's best orchards await.

Nij — Village of the Udi, Heirs of Caucasian Albania
© Ludvig14 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Nij is a large village in the Gabala district, about 230 km from Baku. It is home to the Udi, a small people regarded as descendants of Caucasian Albania, an ancient state on the territory of modern Azerbaijan.

Church of St Elisaeus in Nij
© Rüfət Həsənli / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Who the Udi are

The Udi speak their own language from the Lezgic group and are Christians. Their language descends from that of Caucasian Albania, and they carefully keep their rituals, songs and cuisine.

What to see

  • Albanian churches — several, including the restored Chotari church.
  • Orchards and hazelnut groves — Nij is famous for nuts and fruit.
  • A small local museum with Udi household items.

Getting there

Nij combines easily with Gabala — it's about 30 minutes from town. See our Gabala tour or read what to see in Gabala.

Related tours

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