Baku, April 6, AZERTAC

The amazing village of Laza located in Gusar district, huddles in a picturesque valley between the mountains at an altitude of 1300 m above sea level. In fact, there are two villages in Azerbaijan with the name Laza, or, more correctly, it is said that this is one village, consisting of two parts. The other part is located on the neighboring mountainside, on the bank of the river Demirchay, on the territory of the nearby Gabala district.

In Laza there live lezgins or leks - an autochthonous people, whose history is connected with the Caucasian Albania - one of the most ancient states in the territory of Azerbaijan. Even the ancient authors wrote about Caucasus-speaking tribes in the northern part of Azerbaijan, among which are mentioned Leks.

In the Gusar village of Laza about 30 houses, in which about 150 residents live, there is an elementary school. Residents communicate with each other in their native Lezgian language, but they are fluent in Azerbaijani and Russian languages. The inhabitants of Lazy live the usual life of high-mountain settlements, conduct housekeeping, keep domestic cattle, in summer driving their herds to mountain pastures.

The oldest sight of Laza, located right in the center of the settlement is a historical mosque, which is over 300 years old. Special attention deserves the neighborhood of the village, where in the mountain gorges are the most beautiful waterfalls. In winter, on frozen waterfalls, climbing and mountaineering competitions are often held.

Laza is one of the most visited villages of Azerbaijan. There are many guests all year round. Especially these places attract foreigners interested in ethnotourism. Travelers, as a rule, rent rooms in the homes of local residents. Although there are several tourist centers near Laza, the most famous of which is the Shahdagh Tourist Center.

Another Lezginian village Sudur is the extreme settlement of Gusar district, located on the slopes of Shahdag mountain at an altitude of 1,800 meters above sea level. The road to the village runs along the slopes of the mountains above the precipice, from where a breathtaking panorama opens. In the spring, these slopes are covered with flowering alpine meadows against the background of the snowy peaks of Shahdagh.

In the village of Sudur, the traditional way of life has been preserved. Here, tourists can buy handicrafts, familiarize themselves with the customs and traditions of the local population, with the life and folklore of the Lezgins, and see the performances of the Pahlavans (heroes), held in March during the Spring Festival (Yaran Suvar) - Novruz analogue.

The population is mainly engaged in agriculture, produces butter, cheese, honey, grows cabbage, potatoes. There is no hotel in the village, but those who wish can rent a room in the homes of local residents.