Photograph of Candy Cane Mountains — to be added
Candy Cane Mountains
Striped red-and-white hills on the road to Shahdag, coloured by iron-rich sedimentary banding.
Included in 3 tours
Quba
Red Village (Qırmızı Qəsəbə)
One of the last all-Jewish settlements outside Israel, home to the Mountain Jews community for centuries.
Photograph of Red Village (Qırmızı Qəsəbə) — to be added
Red Village sits across the Qudyalchay river from Quba town and is widely described as the only remaining all-Jewish town outside Israel. The Mountain Jews community here has a continuous presence in the eastern Caucasus running back many centuries.
It is a living community, not a heritage site, and visitors should approach it accordingly.
Why the community is here
The settlement in its current form dates to the eighteenth century, when Fatali Khan of Quba invited the Mountain Jews to settle under his protection on the opposite bank of the river.
That protection is the reason the community persisted here when comparable communities elsewhere did not. The river was a practical boundary, and the arrangement held across generations and successive regimes.
The community speaks Juhuri, a language descended from Middle Persian and historically written in Hebrew script. It is now endangered.
Walking the village
The scale of the houses is what strikes most visitors first: large family compounds, several storeys, built by a community that prospered through trade and craft.
There are functioning synagogues in the town, and the Museum of Mountain Jews occupies a restored synagogue building, opened in 2020.
Many houses are occupied only seasonally now, as families who emigrated to Israel, Russia and the United States return for summers and holidays. That gives parts of the village a quiet, out-of-season feeling for much of the year.
Highlights
- One of the last all-Jewish towns outside Israel
- Large nineteenth and twentieth-century family compounds
- Functioning synagogues
- The Museum of Mountain Jews in a restored synagogue
- Juhuri, an endangered Persian-descended language
Tours that visit Red Village (Qırmızı Qəsəbə)
Not included: Entry tickets to all attractions, museums, cable cars and activity venues · Hotel / accommodation · Meals & drinks. Entry tickets are set by government authorities or venue operators and are payable directly on-site.
Frequently asked questions
Is Red Village really the only all-Jewish town outside Israel?
It is widely described as such and is certainly among the last. The Mountain Jews community settled here under the protection of Fatali Khan of Quba in the eighteenth century and has maintained a continuous presence since.
Can visitors go to Red Village?
Yes, and several of our itineraries pass it on the way to Shahdag. It is a living community rather than a museum, so dress modestly and ask before photographing people.
More to see in Quba
Photograph of Five Finger Mountain — to be added
Five Finger Mountain
A five-pronged limestone outcrop rising beside the northern highway, and a long-standing pilgrimage site.
Included in 3 tours
Photograph of Museum of Mountain Jews — to be added
Museum of Mountain Jews
The history of the Mountain Jews community, in a restored synagogue in Red Village.
Want Red Village (Qırmızı Qəsəbə) on your itinerary?
We build private itineraries around the places you actually want to see. Tell us what interests you and we will price it per vehicle.
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