The Gabala (Qabala) State Historical and Artistic Reserve is one of the most ancient and richly historic archaeological complexes in Azerbaijan. This reserve was established to protect and study the remains of the city of Gabala, the capital of the ancient and medieval state of Caucasian Albania, as well as the adjacent historical territories.
The next research point of the International Ethno-Folklore Expedition of the Research Institute of Cultural Studies and Intangible Cultural Heritage was the fortress of Gabala.
The ancient city of Gabala served as the main city and political-economic center of Caucasian Albania for almost 900 years, starting from the 4th century BC. The city was located on an important branch of the Great Silk Road and was considered one of the centers of trade and craftsmanship between East and West.
The name of the city is mentioned in the works of ancient authors Pliny the Elder as "Kabalaka" (Chabalacha), Claudius Ptolemy as "Habala," and later in the sources of Arabic geographers as "Khazar."
The reserve is located approximately 15–18 km southwest of the center of the Gabala district of modern Azerbaijan, between the Karachay and Javurluchay (Gochalan) rivers, within the territory of the villages of Chohur Gabala and Tovla. Ten thousand people lived in the city, which embodied unique architectural traditions.
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It is known that the military campaigns of Sahibkiran Amir Temur against Azerbaijan and the Caucasus date back to the period of his famous "Three-Year" (1386-1388) or "Five-Year" (1392-1396) wars. While fighting against Tokhtamysh Khan and his allies in the Caucasus, Amir Timur took control of the northern regions of Azerbaijan, including Karabakh, Shaki, and the vicinity of Gabala, and pursued a flexible policy with local dynasties. The ruler of the Shirvanshahs, Ibrahim I, showed loyalty to Sahibkiran and became one of his closest allies. As a result, territories such as Shirvan and adjacent Gabala were not destroyed by Timur, but were governed on the basis of alliance. However, during the time of the local rebels who rose up against Timur, Gabala and the surrounding fortresses became the scene of serious military clashes. During the reign of Amir Temur, Gabala served not only as a military fortress but also as an important political and administrative center that strengthened Sahibkiran's power in the Caucasus and linked the Shirvan and Shaki regions.