There are various historical assumptions about the formation of Ganja as a city. Some scientists attribute the formation of the city to our era, and most of them - to the beginning of the Middle Ages. Speaking about the history of the city, it is impossible not to mention that this city is a socio-economic and cultural center. Ganja, like other cities of our country (Gabala, Nakhchivan, Sheki, Shemakha), was a settlement with a beautiful geographical landscape, which gradually developed into a city. Ganja was destroyed by Iranians in the first half of the 7th century and by Arabs in the second half. At the end of VII century Ganja became a battlefield of Arabs and Khazars. The territory of Azerbaijan was constantly attacked, and as a result of these attacks the city of Ganja was also damaged and destroyed. After Barda, which was the center of the Aran Khanate, Ganja played an important role in international trade and was one of the places where caravans often passed through and stopped.

Since the 10th century, when Barda lost its capital status, the city of Ganja began to play an important role in the socio-economic and cultural life of the country. Trade and art became one of the important factors in the life of the city. There were all kinds of conditions for the development of art. Iron, copper, aluminum and other mines operated around the city of Ganja, providing raw materials for local craftsmen. On the way to becoming the capital, the city strengthened its military power. Also, during this period, fortress walls were built and a moat was dug around it to strengthen the city's defenses. In IX-X centuries, when the Arab Caliphate weakened, independent feudal states of Shirvanshahs, Shaddadids, Salarids and Ravvadids began to emerge in Azerbaijan. In the middle of the 10th century, the city of Ganja was under the rule of the Salarids. Later it became the capital of the Shaddadids. During the reign of Fazlu I (895-1030), Ganja was economically booming.

During the Shaddadid period, castles, palaces, bridges and caravanserais were built here, and coins were minted. A new, stronger fortress was built around the city. In 1063, the blacksmith Ibrahim built the famous Ganja Gate. At the time when Ganja became a major center, its territory was also growing and expanding. New commercial and industrial areas began to be built. Silk and silk products won the favor of not only domestic but also foreign buyers. Ganja could also be considered a religious center. Thus, the Albanian Catholic center moved from Barda to Ganja. In the middle of the 11th century Azerbaijan was conquered by the Seljuks. After capturing Tabriz, Togrul I (1038-1068) moved his troops towards Ganja in 1054. Shavir I, the judge of Ganja, agreed to become a vassal of Togrul I.

In the middle of the 11th century, the Seljuk raids began unceasingly. The Shaddadid ruler Fazlu III, seeing that he did not have enough forces to resist, decided to surrender, and later returned to power using favorable conditions.  In 1086 Seljuk ruler Malik Shah (1072-1092) sent his leader Bugai to Ganja. Despite the strong resistance of the local population, the Seljuks managed to capture the city. In the battle they captured the ruler of Ganja Fazlu III and thus put an end to the rule of the Shaddadid dynasty, which had been in power for more than 100 years. Malik Shah appointed his son Kiyas ad-Din Tapar as a judge of Ganja. Kiyas ad-Din Muhammad Thapar (1105-1117) remained the Seljuk ruler of Ganja even after he was elected sultan.

In the first half of the 12th century, Ganja was subjected to Georgian raids several times; in response, the Seljuk army forcefully invaded and plundered Georgia. Ganja was the center of Christianity of the Caucasian Albanians until it was defeated by the Seljuk Turks, i.e., until the 11th century. As a result of an earthquake in 1139, the original city, founded in the 5th century, was destroyed and rebuilt in the 12th century a little to the east of the previous one. Its location on the main caravan routes made this city one of the important trade centers, but in 1231 it was again destroyed by the Mongol invasion. In the 15th century Ganja became part of the Garagoyunlu state.

In the 16th century, the city was conquered by the Safavids. From 1606 to 1804, before joining the Russian Empire, Ganja was the center of a khanate within the Persian Empire.

In 1826 Russian troops defeated the Persian troops and drove them out. A large number of Armenian, Russian and German settlers settled here. The city of Ganja for a short period of time was the capital of independent Azerbaijan, founded in 1918.

Changes in history also affected the name of the city. The toponym “Ganja” takes its origin from “Ganjak” tribes. From 1804 to 1918 the city was called Elizavetpol in honor of the wife of Tsar Alexander I.

The government of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic played a great role in the official return of the name of Ganja city. On July 30, 1918, a historic decision was made: “The name of the city of Elizavetpol was replaced with the name of Ganja, and the name of Karyagin district with the name of Jabrail district”. This significant event was welcomed by the people. Until then, anyone who uttered the word “Ganja” had to pay a fine.

However, on February 22, 1935 on the initiative of Mir Jafar Baghirov, the head of Azerbaijan, the name of Ganja was changed to Kirovabad. The city was named in honor of Sergei Mironovich Kirov, who played a major role in the occupation of Azerbaijan and the creation of an autonomous region for Armenians on this territory.

In the Soviet period, the first steps to restore the name of the city were taken in the 1980s. In this period, by order of public and political figure Heydar Aliyev, who headed the republic, the city of Kirovabad was divided into two districts, one part was called Kyapaz. Also, the new residential complex built there was named “Yeni Ganja”. Thanks to the wisdom and foresight of great leader Heydar Aliyev, the name of Ganja could not be erased from people's memory. Thus, Ganja was used again in official documents. This was undoubtedly a great event that influenced the national consciousness of the people. Decisive steps to replace the name of Kirovabad city with Ganja were taken in the second half of the 80s of the 20th century.

From the end of 1988-beginning of 1989, calls for the restoration of the name of Ganja began to grow. Thus, in September-October 1989, a campaign was launched to collect signatures among the population to change the name of the city. As a result of this campaign about 60 thousand signatures were collected. On November 29, 1989, the issue of restoring the name of the city was discussed at the session of the Council of People's Deputies of Kirovabad. Nizami Khalilov spoke on behalf of the executive committee of the city. After discussions, a proposal to restore the name of Ganja was put forward. On December 30 of the same year, the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan SSR approved this decision. The decree stated: “The Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan SSR on renaming the city of Kirovabad to the city of Ganja: - Taking into account numerous requests of citizens, trade unions and the general public of the republic to restore the historical name of Ganja, the petition of the Kirovabad City Council of People's Deputies and Article 114 of the Constitution of the Azerbaijan SSR. In accordance with the article (paragraph 18) of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan SSR decides: henceforth the city of Kirovabad is renamed to Ganja”. On January 2, 1990, a solemn meeting was held in Ganja on this occasion, and the people welcomed this decision with great enthusiasm.

Thus, historical justice was restored by returning the historical name of Ganja before Azerbaijan officially became independent.

Recommended literature:

1. İsayev, Əhməd Məmməd oğlu. Gəncə və gəncəlilər : tarix, insanlar, talelər: roman-xronika / Ə. M. İsayev; tərt. İ. Əhmədov ; red. T. Həmid. - IV nəşri. - Bakı : Çaşıoğlu, 2008. - 596 s.
2. Vəlişov, Nazim Tapdıq oğlu. Azərbaycan şəhərləri : respublika tabeliyində olan şəhərlər və qədim Azərbaycan şəhərləri: ensiklopedik bilgilər / N. T. Vəlişov, İ. N. Məmmədov ; ön sözün müəl. Ş. Y. Göyçaylı ; elmi red. K. M. Abdullayev. - Bakı : Vektor Nəşrlər Evi, 2013. - 288 s.
3. Bağırzadə, Cavid Vəkil oğlu. Gəncə şəhəri müstəqillik dövründə / C. V. Bağırzadə ; elmi red. E. Ə. Aslanova ; Gəncə Dövlət Universiteti. - Bakı : Elm və təhsil, 2014. - 66 s.