Aza (until 2003,[1]Yuxarı Aza, Jukhary Aza, Yukary-Aza, and Yukhary Aza «Upper Aza») is a village and municipality in the Ordubad District of Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan. It is located on the left side of the Ordubad-Nakhchivan highway, 17 km southeast of the district centre, on the right bank of the Gilanchay River. Its population is busy with gardening, vegetable-growing, farming and animal husbandry. There are secondary school, club and a medical center in the village. It has a population of 442.[2]
Etymology
The former name of the village, Yuxarı (Upper) Aza means "Aza village which [is] located in the upper side"[citation needed]. In 2003, the name of the village was officially registered as Aza.[1] In the various sources, this settlement is described as a small town in versions of Aza, Azar, Azat, Azad[citation needed]. Two villages of Aza and Azadkand are now located in the same location.
Monuments
There was a ruinous Armenian church located on a hill to the west of the village.[3] The ruins of the church were completely destroyed by April 26, 2004.[3]
There was an Armenian cemetery located on the eastern edge of the village.[4] The cemetery consisted of 240–250 tombstones. The cemetery was destroyed by April 26, 2004.[4]
